


a very weird normal

by cloudfactories



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Cute taeil, Dysfunctional Family, Families of Choice, Fluff and Humor, M/M, New York City, Romantic Comedy, Sitcom, Slice of Life, lots and lots of cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21731935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudfactories/pseuds/cloudfactories
Summary: mark leaves his apartment after the news of it getting eradicated, and responds to an advertisement in craiglist in search for a new one. what awaited him at that new apartment was a whole new mayhem he didn't expect in the city of new york.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	1. the commence of the shit-clique

Now, climbing up the steep stairs of some old, rotten apartment was already a huge burden but what really happens when you get two large suitcases (containing the whole of your life) and a guitar case around your shoulder, and were climbing steep stairs with no one to help? A _very huge_ burden. Well, consider Mark reenacting the situation, sweats dropping down his hair and skin just like he had came out of a shower, and biceps stretching out, as if he was doing a gym session.

Mark had just moved, or had to move to somewhere, where the insects were not climbing up his nostrils every other night, and people were not having a disco party at 4 o’clock in the morning. But what do you expect from a 600 dollar rent of apartment in the far side of New York? Like really, _what do you expect?_

In addition, Mark had to leave because the apartment was about to eradicated.

OK, _moving on_ , Mark was moving up the stairs, noticing the mere lack of lift in the run down apartment by the East River. The apartment was a sweet deal, it was just at the edge of East Village,where he could hover a look over the Brooklyn Bridge and sigh about its magnificent features. However, the small fist of rent came with a price of other 4 roommates who were going to live with him, in the same communal area, and probably share a bunk bed with one of them.

Nothing was settled until then, given that he hadn’t seen any of their faces. It was an advertisement from Craigslist, and due to desperation he went on with anything he could get. The advertisement contained sweet views of the said Brooklyn Bridge, a broken window, two bunk beds (kind of where he got the prior impression) and well, it didn’t say anything about the absence of a lift.

Grunting and huffing he reached up to the third floor, which had rows of two apartment on the either side, with cracked walls, chipped paintings and a weird portrait of Beatles just hanging out in the hallway. He deemed it probably belonged to someone, so he didn’t bother, and besides apartments in New York, were a whole another labyrinth. It was New York. You could find a abandoned car in the middle of streets, a stray bloody ear and splatter of vomit like every pavement you pass, and you wouldn’t find yourslef bothering. All it was, was a bizarre combination of events and ordeals, and as Mark living his whole life in New York, was used to those that yes, he couldn’t bother.

Mark was finally facing the apartment, his gaze hazy because climbing a thousand steps could get your brain all jumbled up, the number 2 on the door remaining a hazy block of blurry gold. Mark swiftly fetched his glasses from his pockets, suitcases resting on the floor and knocked softly on the door. There was no response, so he searched for the doorbell, and of course there was none. Mark shrugged and knocked again, but there was not a sound from the other side, instead of the whirr coming from the streets through a slit of a window in the hallway.

Biting down his lips, he resorted the old style of handling such ignorance, ramming the door with your fist and calling out ‘excuse me’ top of your lungs, and praying that the resident was not dead inside. Curling his fists, he was about to thud the door with the remaining energy he had left, but his hand was stuck in air, as the door opened revealing someone looking at him. More like, squinting at him.

“Next time…” The young man pointing at his hand and curled his palms into a fist, “…do this and fist at the door. With that squeak of a knock, nobody will open the door. Also, partly, everyone here is pretty much knocked out on drugs or alcohol, or is dead, so you need much more of that manly strength to wake everyone up. Be glad I was neither of that.”

“Right. I am the new…”

“...Guy. Yeah, you messaged me yesterday that you were coming.”

Now that Mark’s vision had adjusted normally, he could finally see the guy clearly.He looked pretty decent, not those stoner kids, or the jock guys but weirdly normal. He had this plop of brown hair, a white shirt, sleek tan skin (his skin was pretty good, which meant he stirred away from drugs perhaps), small pearly eyes and small lips. If Mark remembered correctly, his name was…

“I am Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck.” Yes, _Donghyuck._ Mark sounded a trail of ‘ahhh’s inside his mind, and gaped his mouth open as he bobbed his head. Donghyuck moved a bit to the side to the door jamb, so that Mark could enter. He noticed the two jumbo suitcases behind Mark, and let out a gasp of surprise.

“You carried those shit all through these stairs?”

“You didn’t tell me that there wasn’t going to be a lift.” Mark retorted, walking inside the apartment, wandering his eyes to the ceiling and to the whole gregarious communal space. 

“Well,what the hell do you expect from a fucking 60s building, and a 500 dollar rent? A fucking skyscraper with elevating stairs?”

Mark shrugged, and judged the interior, the spread out paintings inclined agaisnt the walls, a dining island of the far side of the apartment, with small cupboards installed above it, a couch just sprawled in the middle of the floor and the absence of a TV. It was pretty cleaned out, except a few spare pieces of chips packets lying on the floor here and there, which was pretty fair ,expecting from such an apartment. Or in a way, it wasn’t as bad as he had experienced before, which was pretty bad.

“Right.” Donghyuck muttered behind him, and Mark looked back to face back, “We need to get formalities in place. Boring stuff, your name, our names. Proof that you are not a serial killer, yadayada, pay the rent in advance since I need some sweet treat to fill up my belly. Or you can just treat me. House warming gift.”

“Sure.” Mark shook his shoulders, and took a seat on the already degrading couch. But still he could use whatever he could get, because beggars were not choosers.

“You are pretty…” Donghyuck patted his stomach, probably because of the hunger pangs, “ON with this.”

“Well, I don’t have any choice.”

Donghyuck pulled a chair from the kitchen and sat opposite from Mark, with what it seemed like a clipboard with blank pages stuck on it. Mark furrowed his brows, thinking _what next_ the superintendent was up to.

“I’m pretending to write some information about you down, so bear with me, okay?”

“Whatever.”

“Right, I basically know everything about you from the form you sent last night. Just answer me these questions.” Donghyuck paused for effect, but Mark only remained unfazed and lean on to the couch, which was bizarrely cozy even with the lack of cotton inside (it was just a tousled up cotton cloth), “Did you murder anyone in the last week?”

“No.”

“Do you get drunk every night and threaten to kill someone? We had a person like that who got arrested and was about to get us arrested as well. You know, better safe than sorry.”

“Nope. I mean I do drink every night, but not to the point of knocking myself out.”

Donghyuck amused, scribbled something on the clipboard and Mark reminded himself to sneak a peek later on. Mark delved more into the plop of cloth, and droop his eyes close at any moment because he was getting very sleepy, just by the touch of the cotton on his skin. It was very comfortable _, okay?_ Plus, there was no screeches of drunken woman from the other side, or sex noises every hour or people having to break down roads and buildings every now and then. Mark hadn’t slept for a month or so, for all of those reasons above.

“And yes, do you grab people’s ass whenever you walk by?”

“No.” That was a question that caught Mark off, so his ‘no’ came more abashed than he intended. It was more like a question of whether he was a sexual predator, which was more or less an expected question with the amount of sexual predators surplussing each year. But Mark didn’t look like a sexual predator, _did he?_

“Cool.” Donghyuck scribbled another thing on the clipboard and after he was done, he raised the board above. Written on the board were scratched out bold letters screaming, “YOU ARE A NICE ASS. WELCOME!”

Mark took that as a compliment, and initiated a sole clap which Donghyuck joined right after. As an awkward moment of _just clapping_ had passed, Donghyuck shifted on his chair, and threw the clipboard behind his shoulder, to which the object collided something and caused a whole bunch of colorful umbrellas to fall. When Mark pointed at the cacophony, Donghyuck flapped his hand nonchalantly and crisscrossed his legs on the chair, staring right at Mark.

“So, as you know…we have three other people living here. We are all Korean, no danger of a white person dropping by, FYI. We had potential roommates lining up before you, but most of them failed to either answer these questions or straight up attempted any of the question in real life, so eliminated them right out. So...first off, tell me your name.”

“I think I did, yesterday.” Mark remarked, the sun from the windows filtering right in, signaling it was right at the middle of the day. Fortunately, Mark did take a day off from his job. His job…he would mention about it later.

“Right. You name was…” Donghyuck trailed the last sentence for a while, so Mark answered it for him. It was simple, M.A.R.K. Mark couldn’t understand how would anyone forget such a name like that.

“Mark. Mark Lee.”

“Cool. I am bad with names, so just correct me if I make up some spaghetti with yours.”

“Okay.”

“So…” Donghyuck curled his hands and raised his hands to point at the far left of the apartment, just beside the kitchen with a plain yellow door, “…over there, resides two people. Jaehyun and Taeil. Both of Korean heritage, as I mentioned earlier however, they were in New York for most of their lives. Except Taeil, he travelled to and forth from London until last two years that he decided to stay here. If I were to give you an elaborate information about everyone-which you will need obviously-could you go grab some chips from the kitchen? I am hungry and I suppose you are hungry too.”

“Alright.” Mark stood from the air-less couch, and stretched his arms above his head. Finally, he was doing something, because if he spent another minute there, just lying on the cloth he would had fallen asleep. He thought that the chips would ought to wake him up. So padding towards the kitchen, he saw the array of chips just marshaled agaisnt each other on the kitchen island, color-coordinated. It was satiating, and similar to those cereal boxes in groceries. Mark noticed how the kitchen was basically cleaned and empty of any other ordinary necessities, there was no paper towels, or mugs hanging anywhere or just kitchen utilities. He wondered for a while, as he grabbed a packet of chips, two of them the same flavour, whether the whole group even lived there permanently. The absence of a couch, and well, kitchen utensils were making him queasy.

“Hi.” Mark jolted as Donghyuck creepily appeared behind his back, poking his shoulder. Mark looked back, and tightened a smile before he handed over the bag of chips. Donghyuck muttered a ‘thank you’ before sitting on one of the 3 chairs stilled around the island. Donghyuck gestured Mark to sit as well, and Mark did just beside him. All there left was the audible scrunch of the chips packets as Donghyuck tried to tear them off, and ate them one by one. Mark followed him suit.

“So…as I was saying…” Donghyuck said, muffled with the crunches of chips as he then gobbled another fistful, “Jaehyun…” Donghyuck gulped the remaining, and thankfully didn’t take another round, “he is an anal kind of guy.”

“You mean he takes it up the ass?”

“Get your head out of the gutter, Marty-” _It’s Mark_ , Mark wanted to say but he let Donghyuck ramble off for a while.

“No, I meant clean and OCD, kind of guy. He cleaned the whole kitchen up, so that’s why you see no mugs or things lying around. The chips are color-coordinated for the same reason. We have to live with this whole mayhem, or not so much of mayhem, and you have to too.”

“Okay.” Mark took another chip from his packet, and Donghyuck eyed his own packet, which was then empty. He groaned, and took another packet from the bunch and opened it again. Donghyuck was pretty fast with his food, you see. He first took one chip at a time, and then escalated to fistful and another fistful, and with five fistful in within 5-7 minutes the chips were gone and rumbling in his belly.

“There is Taeil, Jaehyun’s roommate. He’s pretty, you know…how do I explain this without sounding like a jerk?” Donghyuck took a another chip and ate it, his eyes wandering off at the ceiling probably articulating the perfect- “Taeil is a jerk. He is older than us, that is part of the reason and second part of the reason, is that he is older than us but acts like 5 year old kid. He is cute, in a sense. But yeah…to describe him properly, mysterious and not mysterious. If you ever need condoms, always rummage his drawers because those are filled to the brim with it.”

“You are going all over the place with your descriptions.” Mark mentioned, still with his first packet of chips, only half-way through. It was not that he needed to know any detailed information of any of the roommates, because inevitably and either way he was going to meet them. He just needed tips, to face them off or whether they had they had any anger issues, or just plain ‘impassive Edward Cullen and I don’t talk to anyone because I am superior’ issues. But with the crumbs Donghyuck was sprinkling all over the island and the information crumbs he was babbling about, gave nothing to Mark. Not an inkling about how to present himself, how to greet and adjust.

“Hey, I am not some NYPD here, okay? I can’t give you background checks on all of them…I gave you as much as to work with. Listen, if you feeling like fish of the water or something, just…” Donghyuck sighed, letting the crumble of the chips packet fly away on the floor to the other side, “…we are four people. There is me, Donghyuck, Johnny, Jaehyun and Taeil. We are perverted human beings, one with too much lewd wiring inside him…”Donghyuck patted Mark’s back, as if placating him, “but we are going to be fine. You just need to be like one of us. Perverted.”

“And Johnny is…”

“Right…I completely forgot about him. You are going to be his roommate and coop up with him down that corridor.” Donghyuck pointed at the far green door, just across the living room beside what it seemed a communal bathroom. As mentioned before, the apartment was too spacious for even 5 people there, the living space could fit his old room inside four times and that made Mark slightly convinced that he made the right choice of attending the advertisement.

Donghyuck clicked his fingers in front of his face, and Mark broke away from his stupor to pass a smile. Donghyuck smiled back, and pointed at his half-eaten chips so Mark lent it to him anyway.

“Johnny…he is tall. Gigantic. He is a medical student, like me…I think I didn’t say I was one right?” Mark nodded, “Right. So he pretty much, locks himself up inside the room, jacks himself off for 5 times a day, watches hentai while he does so, and the volume is shamelessly turned up so loud that you can actually know that he is actually jacking off. See those paintings?” he pointed at the frames Mark saw when he first entered the apartment. To describe the paintings….there was just nothing to describe, it was just white plain paper with dashes of pink color and swirls of red and black. It was something unconventional, and contemporary he couldn’t comprehend, Mark thought.

Donghyuck continued relentlessly, lashing out on his roommate, “Johnny made those when he reached some absolute peace period or some shit. He went on a hunger strike and painted those for 24 hours. The next day, he went back to anime porn. Johnny does become a good ol’ Samaritan, whenever there is medical test a few months later or he finally starts dating a girl seriously. But he is the most friendliest person you’ll ever meet, so there is nothing to worry about.”

Mark slowly bobbed his head, before looking at Donghyuck. He watched him for a while, struggling to fit five big pieces of chips inside his mouth, and curved his lips a bit.

“What about you?” Mark said, “What kind of person you are?”

Donghyuck paused, slowly munching the chips down. He hummed, before brushing down the crumbs from the island to the floor, intentionally ignoring Mark’s eye contact.

“Me…it is very hard describe myself. I mean it is very subjective, and you never know what kind of person you are. I am pretty shitty I guess, judging how I deliberately stole some money from Jaehyun’s emergency stash to buy some cigars. Don’t tell Jaehyun that and BTW, you can also buy yourself some stuff if you are ever short of money. Just peek down Jaehyun’s bed and you will see a condom box, and there is all of the money.” Donghyuck scratched behind his ears, and Mark took all of his ministrations, “I will be in the room opposite of you, with the red door. It is mostly locked, since I am not much of a public person so yeah, you have to knock every time you come in. I love food, as you can see by the three packets of chips I finished in the last 20 minutes. I love cigars, I am bad with people’s name, and your name is…Marcus?”

“Mark.”

“Mark, right. Well, that is it about me.”

The last 20 minutes he was there, just engaging with Donghyuck, he realized, was the most active he had ever been for the last 5 years. He was honestly surprised, but seriously, with how Donghyuck interacted with him, and how Mark instantly felt similar to him (it might had been because they were from the same heritage), it was so instantaneous and well, again, _weird._

“Cool.” Mark smiled, and jumped off the chairs, thinking off bringing his suitcases in because it was not safe to keep those outside, unless you want them to be stolen. Donghyuck stuck there, his arms folded on the island, eyeing the packet of chips and pondering if he should open another one, as Mark assumed. Opening the front door, he found the suitcases gone, and he felt his heart clog up his throat, _he was too late._ There wasn’t much valuable stuff that he brought by, some clothes and necessities but his father guitar…he freaking lost his father’s guitar. Mark felt his legs wobbling, hands clawing on to his jeans, as he shifted to and fro on the same place, deeming if he should tell Donghyuck or not but…

“Oh, Mack! I bought your suitcases to your room if that is what your looking for.”

Mark didn’t turn around, because as embarrassing it could be, tears were sprinkling down his cheek. He was a pretty sensitive person, don’t judge him.

“When did you…?”

“Whenever.”

The door to Donghyuck’s room was shut audibly, which enticed a quivering sigh from mark, as he tried to regain his composure after the shrouding fear of losing his father’s guitar broke all of his organs down. After Mark had squeezed himself in his sequester in the previous New York apartment, his only friends was his father’s guitar. Got yourself hungry? _Play the guitar._ Someone hit you in the guts? _Play the guitar._ Want to cry? _Play the fucking guitar._

Now that he was left empty, in the apartment, with Donghyuck gone into his seclusion in his own room, he thought to leave to his own. Mark’s room, as marked by Donghyuck, belonged to him and that other guy named Johnny. Johnny, from the Donghyuck’s contradicting discourse, appeared awfully perverted. But everyone, was perverted in that household, and Mark expected nothing less from bunch of mid-20 years old. Mark had that lewd sense of thinking to, but he kept t it to himself.

He opened the green door, to be presented by a table pressed agaisnt the wall, with a computer screen fixed on the wall above it. There was a bunk bed placed in the opposite, agaisnt the wall and a small cupboard kept beside it. The room, unlike others, was messy. The bed covers were cascading down to the floor, the cushions built into a fort and the upper bed, covered in tissues? Mark climbed up the small stairs to scrutinize his bed carefully, and all there were crumbled up tissue papers, and if Mark didn’t know any better….it was disgusting.

He descended down, grabbed his guitar and exited the room as soon as he could. Mark would need some more adjusting, even though it was the best living condition he could afford. You see, for all the last years, Mark was alone, and he didn’t need to accept any change or change according to other people, but however, that time it was other 4 people living with him. One who couldn’t remember his name, another obsessed with masturbation and threw the after results on his bed, and other two who Mark couldn’t imagine would turn out.

As he wandered around the living room, his eyes caught a paper stuck on the wall beside the broken window. Fixing the glasses on his nose bridge, Mark peered closer, and made out the words, “TERRACE” with an arrow drawn beside it. Well, it wasn’t an arrow of sorts, but an erect penis, but Mark thought it meant what it should.

So Mark climbed off the window, and there were a fire escape like iron stairs leading to the space above. He wounded the guitar case on to his shoulder, and ascended the stairs until he met the wide space, the floor littered with cigarette butts, and cans of beer. Mark was in the right place, in the euphoria of his own.

It was the same evening, Donghyuck was lying down on the plop of cushion, contemplating on nothingness and everything. The door bell rung and Donghyuck ,groaning exasperatedly, stood up and walked towards the door, opening it. There stood Johnny, with the glory of intimidating height with two plastic bag held in his right hand. Donghyuck obviously snatched those two, peering into it, and took out the packaged chicken fry. Johnny knew him well.

“How was the new guy?” Johnny asked, as Donghyuck settled himself on the couch (or beanless beanbag), tearing ou the plastic wrapper of the container. Without wasting another minute, Donghyuck rubbed his fingers on the drumsticks, coating his fingers with the spices to lick it after.

“He thinks I am quite anal. I mean we…”

“Did you pretend to be some ‘clean’ guy too? You don’t even flush after yourself?” Donghyuck shook his head, as he continued nibbling on the loose crispy skin of the chicken. Johnny heaved a grave breath, before picking up the chip packets on the floor.

“For the last time, that was Taeil.” Donghyuck called out, catching the attention of half-bent Johnny, “For all I know, that ‘loo’ guy keeps his mouth shut but not much of his butthole.”

“Disgusting. You are eating right now.”

“I am eating all the time.” Donghyuck replied as a ‘matter-of-fact’. Johnny discarded the packet int he trash, relived that Jaehyun wasn’t there to see the debris of his perfectly cleaned living room. Jaehyun did work hard early in the morning, taking out the trash, cleaning the mugs and arranging them in the cupboard and then heading for work. All Donghyuck had left to do, was to mess it all up again.

Johnny took a bunch of tissues from the tissue roll, before wiping the island off. He only realized then…

“Donghyuck?” The said guy didn’t answer, so Johnny had to holler from the top of his lungs, “Donghyuck?!”

Donghyuck came hopping by, and stood by the trash bin to throw the plastic box in. Donghyuck mumbled a small, “What?” before settling in the same chair Mark sat in that afternoon.

“Did you…send him by my room by any chance?”

“I did. I mean I should really…after I gave a lecture on your personality for an hour or so…I told him to make himself comfy at home. You know, how Mr.Kin does it on TV.”

Johnny didn’t count how many sighs he had blew by the time he had came home, but for all he could deduce it might had been thousands. Donghyuck was an annoying pest, and he couldn’t comprehend how he adjusted himself, living with him every second of his life, without trying to strangle him off.

“First, I told you not to act like that pretentious real-estate on TV. Second, I think I reminded you not to let him…What is his name?”

“Matt…I guess?”

“You don’t know his name.” Johnny hissed, his hands itching to grip Donghyuck's throat and shake it for once, “Fine. Fine. Yes…I told you this morning…this fucking morning…that I will do your homework and tell the professor you were sick if you would take care of the new comer. You did, _congrats_. But, I reminded you to not let him enter my room yet. Why…the hell…?”

“Okay.” Donghyuck let his fingertips pause in air, as if he was making a pointless point, “First, thank you really for the thing you did today morning. Second, what is wrong with your room…?” Only then, Donghyuck noticed the tissue crumbled up in Johnny’s hands, “No…you did not. You did not leave those tissues after wiping up your snot.”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes in annoyance, before pinching Johnny’s arms. He took the bunch of tissues from Johnny’s clutch, and threw them in dustbin. Taking a deep breath, he quickly rummaged the cupboard for tongs, before curling his fingers at Johnny to come after him. See, it wasn’t they were trying hard to appeal more nicer or cleaner, anything like that, at least to Mark…it was just that they didn’t want Jaehyun to see it. Jaehyun was more than just a anal guy, he was straight up diagnosed with OCD. Anything dirty itched him, both mentally and physically, as per Jaehyun’s shrink said. So better stir away from anything that could cause Jaehyun’s inner volcano to burst, and let them suffer a month long lecture.

“He might have thought those were your…”Donghyuck darted his eyes at Johnny’s crotch before picking up another tissue, “…those kind of tissues. I mean after I told…”

“You told him about the ‘jacking off’ thing? Please Donghyuck, I’m trying.”

“Really?” Donghyuck shot a blank look at Johnny, “Last night didn’t tell me that. You should contact Jaehyun’s shrink about this thing of yours.”

Finally, the bed was empty, the covers straightened to the corners, ironing out any wrinkles with the palms of their hands. Johnny tied out the black plastic bag and kept it in front of the main door, and fleshed out the gloves before throwing them inside the bag. Donghyuck imitated him, and patted Johnny’s arms, gesturing to the terrace above for a smoke.

Johnny and Donghyuck were smoking buddies for a while now, for the fact they were stuck to the hops from the morning to the entire day, because of their same jobs, coming from that tiring hell place back to sweet home, it was just that they experienced everything together. Smoking gave them an escape room, a moment of peace and just nicotine, which helped to discuss about sensitive thoughts and maintain a prudent state of mind.

Johnny passed one stick to Donghyuck, and Donghyuck lit the fire to both of the cigarette stuck to the bow of their lips. They went by the back door, and climbed the stairs from the front door, not the ones Mark used so they were presented by the slumped back of Mark, strumming his guitar and humming the music to himself.

“You seriously don’t know his name?”

“He told me…like numerous times…but you know how I’m with it.”

Johnny nodded, drawing another smoke from the cigar before letting out the rings in air. The sun had set some minutes ago, so the backdrop of indigo hued sky with gray clouds made the atmosphere placid, along with the cries of the guitar strings which gave uplifted it. Donghyuck smiled, resting his back on the wall, and inclined his head on Johnny’s shoulder.

“What existential crisis is he going through? He looks like he needs a smoke.” Johnny said, blowing another pungent reeking sigh. Donghyuck shrugged, “You think everyone needs a smoke.”

Johnny mused it with a cough of laughter, before poking Donghyuck’s head away from his shoulder. It was too heavy, and Johnny hadn’t exercised for days, he realized. Pointing at the hunched back of Mark’s shoulder, the earphone hanging from his ears, Johnny asked Donghyuck to call Mark downstairs. It was 7 already, and the others were way back home already. After all, they should at least know his name, before introducing him to others.

“Others will be back by 30, so call him…whatever his name is. Make sure you remember it now.”

Johnny wagged a finger at Donghyuck before leaving him alone, with that lonely figure, striking agaisnt the night sky and the fog evaporating from downstairs. Probably, Mr.Downy was up to some barbecue again, and Donghyuck noted mentally to borrow some later on.

He walked up to the new roommate, and his fingers stayed put in air, just close enough to pat him on the shoulder. But somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to do it, because it was embarrassing how he had to ask his name for the nth time. His pea sized brain was only limited for the information of memorizing the pages of his medical books, the name of his three other roommates, and the stuff that he always needed to buy from the bodega.

Donghyuck knew well, Mark wasn’t hearing the constant shuffles of his feet, or the ill-profanities he mumbled off, and how he wouldn’t even hear if he said, “Others are coming back. You should get down or die here, contemplating on the scenarios of your suicide, which includes freezing in cold, dying in hunger or falling to the ground from the height of eight floor. Your choice and bye!”

It was cowardly to do so, Donghyuck realized, but as he ran down the stairs, that realization slowly weighted down as he heard Mark’ steps coming behind him. He paused, looking back and saw Mark looking down on him, eyes stretched.

“Well, I’m not desperate enough to kill myself so…”

“So, you heard?”

Mark shrugged, the corner of his lips tugging upwards, “of course I did. The five minutes you spiraled about Mr.Downy’s barbecue was some deep shit. I think I never met someone else so emotional about well, food.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

“My name is Mark and I will continue to remind you that until you call me by it. Just simply, Mark.”

Donghyuck smiled, his heart inexplicably pumping rapidly inside his ribcage as he watched Mark imitate the same smile he had. It was out of politeness, just a gesture out of benevolence, however it was reassuring for Donghyuck that he might get use to the extra figure inside his flat now. He could show-off to Jaehyun and Taeil, that he finally remembered someone’s name.

As Donghyuck turned the knob to the front door, he knew by the screeches on the other side that Taeil was already home. By the well arranged pair of boots, Jaehyun was there too. He turned to Mark, who was towering over him from the back, waiting for him to open the door wide.

“Hey, Mark…just a heads-up, we might not be as normal as we appear.”

“You never appeared normal.”

“Welcome!” Johnny pulled Mark by his wrist and made him stand by the row of paintings, before turning to the three others standing in front of him. Jaehyun seemed bored out of his wits, impatient of the usual ceremonial welcomes that Johnny indulged himself in, while Taeil hopped on his feet murmuring the song to the Looney Tunes theme song without an idea of what was even going on and Donghyuck groaned and sighed and tore his own hair off mentally. Mark was in a bizarre and unpredictable situation, where he decided to just go to with the flow. Answer in yes or no, nod and shake hands if they want to.

“So, you…”

“Mark. His name his Mark.” Donghyuck stated.

“You finally memorized someone’s name other than the food places you go to? What a revelation!” Jaehyun sarcastically said, clapping his hand only to tick Donghyuck off. Donghyuck stuck his tongue out and thanked him for the flattery.

Mark darted his eyes to and fro each of them, delegating names to each from the previous description Donghyuck had given him that morning. The one wearing ironed white shirt, neatly tucked in, hair combed to the side and face, astoundingly flawless was obviously Jaehyun. There was no doubt about that. The taller one standing beside him was Johnny, given the description in Donghyuck’s own words, “giant” and the other one twirling on his feet, singing and visibly in his own world was Taeil. Donghyuck was right, Taeil was some 25 year old squeezed in a child’s conscience.

“Mark, I’m Johnny. Your roommate. Sorry…”Johnny leaned in Mark’s ears, whispering, “…about the state of my room earlier. Had a bad cold and I didn’t know you were coming this early.”

“No, it’s fine.” Mark lent his hand towards him in means of a handshake, but Johnny curled his fingers and gestured to bump their knuckled instead. Mark did right that, and Johnny was satisfied. Mark stepped forwards to shake Jaehyun’s hands, but Jaehyun only plunged his ones right into his pocket, balking at the idea of even grazing their skin together.

“Mark.” He nodded, and Jaehyun bobbed his head and turned on his heels to the other side of the apartment. It was rude, but Mark could care less.

“Hi, my name is Taeil. Come on, man, give this old man a hug.” Before Mark could even say ‘yes’, he was engulfed right onto Taeil’s embrace, with soft pats on his back.

“You know the rule works, you hug a man on the first meeting or you live the rest of your life ignoring them.”

“Huh?”

“There is no rule like that. Don’t worry.” Donghyuck piped in, appearing in Mark’s sight, shaking his head.

“There is!”


	2. curry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> for mark, curry is a curse. on another thought, have you guys ever tasted a 'sad' curry?

“Seriously, for the last time…Taeil this is not a fucking back scrubber but a toilet one. The one with which you brush the insides of the bidet with, okay?!”

Mark didn’t quite know he had to wake up with an alarm of a mere person screaming at the top of his lungs, and that too belonging to the roommate he thought was normal. What _normal_ meant those days. However, that chips eating monster had a voice on par of an expensive microphone, and Mark didn’t mind it as long as there was no morning rooster calling for him. In the previous apartment, it was of a bizarre parallel world of a whole another tangled events.

Mark groaned, punching his knuckles, twisting his body and tossing and turning in his rustled blankets, maintaining his morning wake-up routine. He always did that, in case he fell asleep again. Those sets of ministration, always knocked up his head just in time for the breakfast.

What had completely slipped Mark’s head that he was not in his previous bed anymore (more like mattress laid on the cold floor), but on the top of two story bunk bed. So what awaited him ass was a cold, hard hit as he fell, upon his unknowing, and hissed at the sudden blow to his hip.

“Good morning…”He heard the groggy voice calling him out from the table, placed beside him. Johnny was sitting on the chair, seemingly typing something on the computer. Mark only scrunched his eyebrows, and held the legs of the chair to hoist himself to a sitting position.

“Can’t you seriously give me the lower bunk?” Mark said, his hand still curling around the legs of the chair. Johnny only shrugged and shook his head, saying it was impossible to do so.

“Like really, do you want that bed after what Donghyuck told you?”

“What is impossible?” Mark breathed in disbelief, “Just freaking give me your bed. I’ll shove it down the laundry.”

“You are a new tenant, Mark Lee. Act like it. Don’t be some spoiled kid…and when you start acting good, maybe then I can lend you my bed.”

“So until then, I should just let my butt be attacked by the floor for countless mornings?”

“You are right.” Mark stuck a tongue out, which was missed by Johnny who just kept staring at a blank word document, typing a dot and clearing it all out. Mark stood up and leaned over Johnny’s shoulder, trying to understand what the elder was up to in the early hours of the morning. No _, scratch that_ , it was 12 in the morning. Mark noticed the two empty beer bottles kept at the side of the computer and he was quite confused.

“Trying to…”

“Construct an email for my girlfriend, yes.”

“I was not going to say that.” Mark was going to say for more of a profound activity, like writing final’s paper or something. Or a book. Books were pretty much everything he knew.

“Well, my wretched yet sweet girlfriend just asked me to write a 1000 words essay explaining why I should break with her. That too, emailing it to her office email, so that her colleagues can get a good chuckle out of it.”

“Do you want me…you know what, nevermind.” Mark thought it would have been kind to throw a hand, helping out someone on their relationship, someone he just met yesterday. But, on further thought, giving out help like that would be too early for either of them. He could just let Johnny be mocked by some random civilians, for that sake.

“Don’t you want to freshen up? You stink of last night’s takeout.” Johnny said after a while, when he felt Mark’s long harboring stare on his computer screen. He was too embarrassed to even write up a word. Mark’s long stretched staring broke to a helpless grin, and nodded afterwards , walking away from the chair to his suitcase, to fetch the towels and toothbrushes.

“FYI, Donghyuck hogs the toilet for a while…he catches up on the latest release of something called ‘it seriously something something’…so knock when you go in.”

“It is ‘it seriously doesn’t matter’. Don’t you read any books? It was New York’s bestseller for like months.”

“I don’t keep eye on chick flicks like you. Or Donghyuck, at that matter.”

_Fine_ , Mark had enough of arguing back and forth without any particular avail. Perhaps, it did clear any awkwardness that might had come between them, so it was relief.

\---

Johnny, for your information, was pretty amiable, as per last night’s dinner. Jaehyun, the overly conservative, cynical flatmate took his solitary in his own room, cooped up behind that door. Mark couldn’t help but linger his stare on the door for a while, before Johnny finally broke his thoughts with a pat on his back.

“Don’t worry…he is kind of like that.” Donghyuck seemed to agree with a bob of his head, as he gobbled up a bowl of thick tomato soup. It was from a well-known deli, Johnny mentioned earlier, and offered Mark his share. Mark didn’t have any appetite for anything, so he just played around with his spoon, swirling heart patterns on the surface of the soup until he got sick of it.

After that, Johnny and Mark both headed down towards their bedroom, engaging in a heated talk about the Yankees. Typical, really. Mark didn’t quite remember what it was particularly about, because it was obviously stupid enough not to leave a remnant.

“You are not…going to sleep?” Mark asked, cocooning himself inside his blanket. It had been a while, since it was that warm.

“Well, I have a paper to write and an email later.” Johnny stated, as he pulled his chair close enough to plant his face on the computer screen. Johnny was wearing glasses, Mark noticed.

“But can I ask you something?”

“Shoot!” Johnny was already typing, but it seemed Mark’s inquiry didn’t disturb him anyway.

“Where are you from? Like-”

“i know what you mean.” Johnny blindly pointed at a jersey hanging from the window rails, and Mark squinted his eyes to focus on it.

“You are from ChinaGo? China. You are from China?”

“Fuck no! I am from Chicago.”

“Ah.” Mark rubbed his eyes, after his eyelids got tired after focusing so hard, “I don’t have my glasses.”

“Mark, I’m Korean.”

“Right. The others?”

Johnny clicked his tongue, before swiveling his chair to look at Mark, already tucked inside his blanket.

“Donghyuck is from Dallas. Taeil, well, he originally moved to US from London, but to Philly, not here. Jaehyun was here from the origin. I hope that satiates your curiosity, My Lord, now please let me get back to my work.”

Mark was deeply asleep before he knew it, hugging the blankets close to him, hiding his face from the light radiating from Johnny’s computer. All he had missed, in the presence of his dreams, was Johnny staring at him for a while, before climbing up to place another blanket on top of his. Air-conditioning wasn’t really working well, and the room was chillier than the 69 Fahrenheit, than it was showing. Also, how Donghyuck popped up in the middle of the night, to return the homework he finished copying only to leave a gaze at the sleeping, languid figure of Mark’s.

“Mark’s good?” Donghyuck whispered, which only confused Johnny.

“Was that supposed to be a question or…”

“Like what do you think of him?”

“He’s pretty decent actually.” Johnny flipped through the pages that Donghyuck handed out to him, “Not like the pervert we had last month.”

“He freaking grabbed my ass. Like I didn’t even tell-” Donghyuck was interrupted by a finger to his lips, as Johnny darted his eyes out to a softly breathing Mark on the top bunk.

“Go! The professor will surely boil the likes of you if-”

“Fine! Fine!” Donghyuck scurried away before throwing Mark a look behind his shoulder. Johnny sighed, as he filed Donghyuck’s homework in between in notepad, and returned to the computer, once again typing down relentlessly.

But after that, welcomed another drunken hombre, knocking on the door and Johnny knew who it would be at 4 am in the morning. It was none other than Taeil, for whom nights were like the middle of the day and once he thought a bright bulb as a sun. It really explained a lot about his mental stage, when he was drunk. Johnny then again shushed, as Taeil shuffled in, two beer bottles strapped on his hands.

“Cut these of me!” Taeil hushed, although obnoxiously. Taeil couldn't whisper, it was a natural thing so Johnny didn’t force him further to keep his mouth shut. With his English accent, it was quite weird when he slurred down words, which strung together to make something totally inarticulate.

“Who the fuck were playing Edward Forty-Hands with? That too, in the middle of the night.” Johnny furrowed his brows, cutting down the tapes carefully, as not to hurt the swaying man. Taeil grumbled something, but Johnny couldn’t comprehend it. Both empty beer bottles were placed on the table, as Taeil thanked him numerous times, before mumbling something incoherent about not been able to sleep in Jaehyun’s room.

“Living-Living room. If its called the living room, why do we not live there? I am going to sleep there and confirm it once and for all. If there is only one rule, and that only, you got to be curious about everything until it reveals itself.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Johnny pushed Taeil out of his room, which let the latter slip on the floor and lie there, in the middle of the hallway. It was nothing new, so Johnny shut the door again, praying that none of the others would be kind enough not to interrupt him. He still had that fucking email to write.

\---

Mark knocked on the cubicle door, checking if someone was inside. There were three cubicle doors side by side, and two bidets on the other side and a big shower room, with glass as a filter in the middle. The glass wasn’t tinted or anything , so you could see clearly if anyone was showering on the other side.

You might be thinking why Mark was knocking on one specific door, when there were two empty on the right. Yes, because there were nothing inside those doors (no bidets or anything), just empty. Mark had checked those doors prior and well, nothing surprised him. So, there he was, waiting outside the door like a stray kitten until Donghyuck finished catching up on-

“Good morning.” Mark jolted at the sudden cheery holler behind him, as the voice clearly belonged to Donghyuck. He screwed the knob to the cubicle inside and of course it was unoccupied.

“I thought you were inside, catching up on a novel or whatever.” Mark said, as his eyes caught the corner of the book Donghyuck was currently holding. It was the same book Johnny mentioned before, and Mark could recognize that book anywhere.

“Oh this!” Donghyuck shook the book in air, and Mark nodded.

“It is a really good one, actually. You should read it.”

“Okay, once I am done with my stuff…I think I will.” Donghyuck smiled at that, and walked towards the array of two mirrors and took one of the toothbrushes, just starting to freshen up then. Mark chuckled to himself because he knew Donghyuck woke up too early only to catch up on brushing his teeth then and he wondered whether he cooped up in his room, reading on the chapters of the book.

Mark never showered in the morning, for one reason that in his old apartment there was no water in the bathroom until late at night. He was used to that regime of letting cold water run down his skin in the chilly air of 4 am, but yet again, he did not have any choice. But now that he did, he still couldn’t adjust himself to wash himself up for the morning breakfast and best of all, work.

When he combed his unruly hair to a decent presentation, standing in front of the mirror of one of the four others, he could hear the rustles of laughter and cacophony of dishes outside. Finally, some good ol’ breakfast to fill up his stomach other than cheap poptarts and rotten oranges he used to buy from the bodega.

“Good. After two hours of spending in the bathroom, you are finally back.” Johnny said grimly, pulling the chair beside him for Mark to sit, “What did you do in there?”

“No masturbation in the communal spaces.” Jaehyun piped in, as usual in the same monotone voice Mark had seen him speak yesterday night. Mark shook his head, and cocked up his eyebrow at the bowl of yellow curry placed in front of him.

“Curry in the morning?”

“You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to…”Jaehyun said, and as far as Mark knew it was the most amount of words Mark had ever seen him speak, “We don’t care what your preferences are so eat like us or get out.”

Mark turned to Johnny, desperate.

“Come on, Johnny. You are an American man, buckle up and say we need cereals here.”

“We are all Americans here…and to be honest, I like curries. You should get used to it.” Johnny elbowed Mark at the side, and Mark only upturned his lips, gesturing a whine. Still, he hadn’t got far from the old poptarts and oranges, and perhaps that was the only the treat he would ever get to eat. It wasn’t that Mark was entitled to eat something different just because he was surrounded by normally functioning human beings, and not drug-addicts or avid drunkards but still he expected something other than curry. He hated curry. It was just bowl of yellow goo.

“Taeil?” Mark asked, hoping to get company with him and share some of the Cheerios he bought along with him just in case. Taeil was asleep, Donghyuck said, slapping the same book on the table before dipping his spoon in the bowl. Mark was irked to the bones, and he considered leaving the dining room immediately.

“Where are you going?” Donghyuck looked up from his curry, the corner of his lips smeared with some remains of it. Mark pointed at it, and Donghyuck smoothly rubbed it off.

“To my room. I really can’t stand the smell of spices.”

Jaehyun mumbled something under his breath, rolling his eyes, as he finally sat opposite of him. It was probably some curses, and honestly Mark didn’t want to jump on some beef with him. He had a lot to deal with on his own.

“Okay. I think I am going to go.”

Slipping from their hard gazes, Mark took sanctuary in the small room of his and Johnny. He zipped one of his suitcases, and popped the small pack of Cheerios. He nibbled on the pieces one by one, savoring their taste, as well as the guilt of disrespecting them like that. He shouldn’t had, denied the curry and just ate for the sake of them. It made him look, well, entitled and cocky and by the looks of it, none of them were impressed with it.

There were successive knocks on the door which made him look up from the torn open packet, and announce, ‘Come in’. Johnny was standing there, right against the doorjamb, his face stilled as if he wanted to say something.

“Well…” Mark raised his eyebrows, and Johnny ran straight for the packet and snatched from his hands. Mark’s mouth remained agape, and Johnny munched on a handful.

“Why are you eating mine?”

“Fucking hell. You ruined my appetite, so I ran from the table saying that I had a stomach ache. I don’t even like curry and I am sick of it.”

Mark laughed, and flapped his hands giving Johnny permission to eat it all. He could survive with an empty stomach, until lunch so it was no big deal.

“Well, you know…all you have to do is say it.”

“It’s better-” Johnny bit some of the cheerios threatening to come out of his mouth, “-to cut my tongue than to say it. Jaehyun is a sensitive man and if you say anything about his curry, you are basically done.”

“Better to note that down. You know, when I first saw Jaehyun, he came around as much kinder and happy-go-lucky kind of guy. I guess I was wrong.”

“You are not wrong…”Johnny took a seat beside him, “…he just takes time adjusting to someone new. Also, you might want to wait for his cuter side to come out. He whines a lot…I mean a lot.”

“It’s my second day too so I guess…I shouldn’t assume out of thin air.” Mark rummaged through his suitcases bag for a while before taking out another packet of Cheerios. He lent it over to Johnny who took it without another word and tucked it inside his blankets. He patted the telltale of the packet and said, “For the late night.”

“Oh, I thought Donghyuck was a lot more, I don’t know, anal.”

Johnny squinted his eyes, and looked at Mark bizarrely.

“Oh if he is anal, I bet all of the world would be a better place. No more environmental mayhem and Greta Thunberg.”

“So he is not anal?”

“No!” Johnny stopped for a while and said, “And stop saying anal, a word like ‘clean’ exists.”

Mark hummed to himself, kind of disappointed. But then again, he thought back to that day’s morning and how Johnny said Donghyuck read books in the cubicles, made Mark realize as to how unhygienic Donghyuck could be. Guess he had to jot it down in his mental notebooks, and as to how living with rascals were up till then, the mental notebook was threatening to run off soon. Johnny soon left the room, saying rather explicitly that he had to poop. Mark held his forehead in the cup of his hands for a while, praying that the thrumming of it would rub away before attending work. He still had to deal with the lot of customers, and if all the mornings in that wretched apartment continued like that, he deemed that he would soon die in over-exhaustion.

“I am not fucking anal.” Donghyuck screeched at the top of his lungs when Mark only asked him about toilet paper. Probably, John went on and blew it to the latter’s ears, that he blew up his cover of being clean. Now, he would have to actually come out _clean._

“I just asked about the toilet papers!” Mark screamed back, and thought inwardly how comfortable it was to scream at someone back. He knew Donghyuck wouldn’t take it to heart, given his carefree disposition he had seen for a day. Johnny was only leaning agaisnt the wall, watching the chicken fight unfold and obviously munching on the other packet of Cheerios he told he would save up for the night. He hadn’t an inch of resistance in him.

Donghyuck breathed out and in like a bull in Spanish stadiums, staring him down as if to engulf Mark whole. Mark didn’t back down and eyed back with fervour, until Jaehyun came to the show down and told them to back off.

“If you two are done acting like idiots, please move since you are blocking the door.” Jaehyun looked at Mark the whole time he said that, and Mark couldn’t understand why Jaehyun was so irked by the sight of him.

Mark stepped a little far, letting Jaehyun maneuver his way out. Mark looked at Donghyuck, who just shrugged and then at Johnny, who still had that same unreadable expression. Or much of a pitiful one.

“Well, I guess I should go to work.” Mark sighed, as he turned around and tried to unlock the door. Donghyuck soon came beside him, muttering in mocking distaste, “I didn’t know you had a job.”

“How do you think I can afford living here?” The door clicked open after some struggles, proving the lock was faulty. Mark wouldn’t had expected much from a chipped off knickknack holding the door together.

“As a side note, I think I will buy some tissue papers.” Mark said, as he went out the door walking backwards, the demonic stairs looking out for him. Donghyuck bobbed his head, and waved a bit before closing the door. It wasn’t Mark wanted to assume something, but he might had seen a small smile appear on Donghyuck’s face before the door shadowed over him. Perhaps, because of that the stairs seemed a little less intimidating.

Mark despised jaywalking, but not as much when he did it himself. The air was a but dense with sweat, the sun peeking behind the bricked buildings, and the narrow roads undulating among the congested stalls beside the streets. A little walk to the left, he almost arrived at the Front St. But still had to walk at least 10 minutes to reach the midget sized bodega he worked in on the Fulton St. Yes, Mark worked in a bodega, part-time. So, toilet papers, no big deal.

Mark knew that part of the New York from the back of his mind, the labyrinth of huge skyscraper and Chinese Restaurants. His old apartment was not far from the FDR, and he knew how quite afternoons were on Mondays. He loved it, as the hustle of people and the whoosh of the cars and trucks strung his heartstrings as he strolled down the sidewalk. He never got tired of it, and it was the charm of that, the subtle ecstatic lifestyle of New York that kept him alive.

The bodega was situated on a corner, beside a TacoBell, not overly visible and the neon signs of cigarettes and snacks highlighting from the fast food chain. But not that people visited, it was just a huddle of teens and mid 20s middles of the night, or close to 12. There were two other people who managed the shifts other than Mark, one was a ginger haired part-timer named Ronald, and the other Mustafa. Both of them were older than Mark, so they carried much of the burden and while Mark only had to make sure everything got sold and was recorded correctly on the registers. There were some mishaps, when the stealthy teenagers came around and picked something in their pocket and escaped from the corner from Mark’s eyes. However, the other two didn’t blame him at all, and the camaraderie which existed among them calmed Mark’s nerves after the rusty morning every time.

The pop-tarts and the rotten oranges? They were of course, not from their own shop but from another down the street. Mark never dared to buy their own products, just because of his stupid integrity.

“Ronald?” Mark entered the bodega, keys dangling in the lock, as the shop was closed as of then. Lunch time, and after an hour Mark’s shift was about to start. Ronald, was the co-owner of the shop, overly friendly with over exaggerated gestures to make up for it and too touchy for liking. What he mostly did, was manage another cupcake industry side of the part-time shift there, and the bodega being the make-shift warehouse. Not that Mark minded, since over the few profits Ronald earned, he used to share it with him in terms of treating him with food from an expensive Korean BBQ down the street.

Mustafa, on the other hand, was reserved and only made contact when he needed to. Not that he was totally distant, and he did join Ronald and Mark on their Korean BBQ endeavors and contributed much to their sales. Just Mustafa wasn’t keen on keeping up with their jokes or participating in it.

The bodega was empty of any souls, and Ronald was not in his usual position behind the counter. Mark deemed if he had gone to the TacoBell to grab his lunch, but he did promise Mark he would grab lunch together. As Mark walked in between the shelves and arrays of chips, he felt he had stepped over something. When he looked down, it was a piping bag, seemingly filled in pink colored cream.

“This ain’t it, man.” Mark sighed as he picked it up, throwing it over the trash. He could then deduce, that Ronald probably had gone to attend one of the cupcake orders. Mark looked around for a couple of minutes, knowing that he had to go fetch his lunch alone because attending one cupcake order would take hours for Ronald.

“This ain’t it.” Mark repeated, because Ronald should had informed him about whatever the sudden order was. He glanced at the mirror, the black jacket complimenting his white inner, and his hair ruffled because of the wild wind, he quickly tapped the unruly hair and fixed his tilted jacket. Locking the door behind him, he set out for the nearest TacoBell, which was honestly a corner turn away.

Mark was actually very hungry, evident from the constant stomach churning and the angry murmurs. The breakfast he had kept for himself, went to Johnny’s belly and of course, that was because Mark gave it to him willingly. He ordered for two Quesadillas and a diet coke to munch it down his dry throat. It was already 1 when he glanced at the broken clock hung on the wall, and he quickly gobbled the bread down one by one to be presentable for his shift by 2.

The place was totally empty, and Mark was there, alone, inclined against a wall, gulping his diet soda and taking a bite or two from the wrap. The cheese was heavy and he regretted asking for some extra cheese to be stuffed inside. The door opened was once again, and he was facing away from the exit and towards the register so he couldn’t see the customer. Not that he had any interest, until…

The white shirt stretched along the broad shoulders, and the slicked black hair and the thick grumpy voice could only belong to one. Jaehyun.

Mark contemplated on hiding his face to avoid talking with someone who didn’t want to talk to him even when they were living together, or fishing his hand out to wave a ‘hi’ because he wanted to make some progress with him. But he didn’t have to anything of the above options because Jaehyun, on his accord, came around his table after he had noticed him while wandering his eyes around the restaurant.

“Hi.”

Mark delved a little inside his jacket, avoiding Jaehyun’s eyes as if he didn’t know him. But on second thought, he nodded acknowledging his greeting. It was weird, how Jaehyun straight up ignored him around his roommates, but in that run down fast food pop-up, it was as if everything was buried under the hatchet. Even when there was nothing to bury. Jaehyun made him weary of his own ministrations, so when Mark took the next sip of the Diet Coke, he chocked on it.

_Way to be appear decent, champ!_

“Are you okay?” Jaehyun asked, but a hint of laughter coated his words as if mocking Mark while he was about to die from constricted throat was the best way to appear friendly at all.

“Yes, I am fine. Fine.” Mark quickly teared up some tissues from the box kept on the table and wiped his lips, for the sprinkle of coke dripping away to his chin. Mark coughed again, and he could feel the aftertaste of the drink travelling up his nose and he swore he could never drink a can of can again.

“Did you have your lunch yet?”

Jaehyun popped the question once Mark had calmed down from the pique of his hyperventilation. Mark pointed at the half-eaten wrap and the splashes of coke on the table, thinking it ought to answer the question. Mark was seriously irked off with the split personality that Jaehyun carried, and the sudden friendliness only raged the annoyance. Yes, Jaehyun hated Mark, fine he could live with that. But no, hate in the apartment where they practically live together and jumping to a ice-breaking session outside made no fucking sense.

“Oh..okay…”Jaehyun tipped up the corner of his lips, dips appearing into his cheeks, “Well, I just wanted to say that…we did not have a great start.”

“Oh, surprise.”

“No seriously, Mart-”

“Mark, my name is Mark!”

“Sorry, Mark.” Jaehyun rubbed away his cheeks, and continued, “It’s just that…I am not very open to strangers. You only came yesterday and rejected my curry today morning, which was mean. But-I think I can adjust around the likes of you so just give me time to do that.”

“Sure. I don’t mind.” Mark said, even though he did mind. The stark different personality he observed in the apartment did irk him off a bit, and Mark believed he would continue to do so. But he pretended it was fine, just to lift off the awkwardness.

“Right.” Jaehyun cleared out his throat, “Mark. Where do you work?”

“Somewhere Nearby.” So, ‘ _Somewhere Nearby_ ’ was the name of the cupcake business that Ronald opened, so instead of the bodega Mark usually gave out the name of the cupcake business, which was more well known.

“Like where? Exactly.”

“Somewhere Nearby, as I said.” Mark couldn’t believe Jaehyun didn’t recognize the name, it was the most famous bakery delivery there.

“Okay fine.” A coffee soon came to the table for Jaehyun, as the latter took a sip of it.

“Where do you work?” Mark asked, but only in a sense of formality. Not that he wanted to know it.

“I work for a bank. Just over at the Pearl St.” Mark nodded, recognizing the venue.

The door to the restaurant once again opened with a chime, yet a shrill voice calling out Jaehyun’s name seemed to layer up the subtle jingle of the bell. Once Mark looked behind he could see, the voluptuous figure of a female, striding towards them, swaying her hips. Wearing a white button up, along with a green pencil skirt, similar to the one Jaehyun was wearing (only he was wearing pants, obviously) she swooped in to catch Jaehyun’s lips in hers. Well, as Mark expected. Great King needed a even greater Queen. But as the kiss escalated, the kiss got even more lewd which instigated Mark to grab the coke and gulp away, but then again chocked again on the bubbles.

_As stupid as you could be_. Oh well, Mark could win that competition any day.

However, the sudden ordeal of the coke once again spitting out Mark’s mouth broke the two lovebirds away casing the girl looking at him weirdly and Jaehyun returning to his ever-so-recognizable stone face.

“Are you okay?”

“I-I…” Mark was still coughing, you see, and Jaehyun didn’t offer him a tissue that time, “F-Fine.”

“Right. We should go.” Jaehyun said, not offering a glance at Mark’s direction as he took the girl’s hand in his, gripping tight. Mark was vexed by how wishy-washy and unreliable Jaehyun appeared. Good, that he didn’t trust in his good act all that time.

“Who is he?” The girl turned to Jaehyun as Jaehyun mumbled under his breath, “My roommate. The new one I told you about.”

“Oh. Mark, right?” _Even some stranger remembered his name._

Mark bobbed his head in acquiescence, taking the girl’s other free hand for a handshake. The girl introduced herself as ‘Jenna’, and Jaehyun soon strung some excuses to escape the stagnant breath of their own. Mark looked over his shoulder, as they exited the restaurant, Jenna waving behind her as they turned around a corner. Mark was a second to late to reciprocate that wave with a flutter of his own hand.

It was already 2, and he should go back. But during all the buzz of the few customers that entered the bodega, as the dark orange hue dawned over them with the instance of the sun setting down at the Fulton St, Mark’s mind was haunted by the reminiscent of the lunch prior. Mark bit down a chocolate bar he bought from the other bodega, as he checked the message from Ronald, where he apologized for being absent for the treat. Mark sent back a ‘shrug’ emoticon and carried on finishing the bar of chocolate before another customer walked in.

Mustafa, was surprisingly late that day, hair sticking out in the air and his face pale as ever. With eyebrows as thick as his, it ought to get messy too and it made him look like another specie all together. Mark couldn’t help but laugh and hold him by the shoulder,teasing him about the night before.

“So did you get laid or did you get laid?”

“I most certainly did either of them.” Mark slapped his shoulders, and told him about the lunch and Ronald’s betrayal. He also spilled about Jaehyun’s and his Jekyll and Hyde character and Mustafa only laughed about it.

“He’s got some things man. Some things. But better than the last rat hole you fucking lived in.”

“Well, yeah…but its only the second day and I am so tired.”

“Better be tired than die in that room of yours. Remember how you called me and said you were about to die, but it was only because you thought your shady neighbour was about to kill you for offering salt instead of sugar.”

“Good times.”

Mark gave up his post for the night, as the clock stroke 5 in the evening. He suddenly remembered about the tissue papers, as he said out that thought out too loud for Mustafa to hear.

“Tissue papers! God, I need to buy them.”

Mustafa pointed out the endless rolls arranged at the side, and offered,

“Take one of these. We have too much here. Seriously, Matt poops, sleeps and pees on them so it would be better if you could take some of the clean ones.” Matt was the bodega cat, a fat Turkish Van and too much of cute ears to resist. He pretty much guarded the shop while they were gone and called out once in her ‘miaow’s once they were back. Not much of a disturbance but it did get annoying when they had to clean his trashes out from the floor.

“I…”

“Just stop thinking and fucking grab one of these.” Mark took two rolls of tissue papers and jammed them inside a plastic bag, reminding himself to but two more rolls on the way back. He could not accept free products like that, because that was not how capitalism works. Or that was how capitalism worked. Mustafa, being the sneaky bastard he was, buried another two rolls beside each.

“Alright, Good night!”

With a well responded wave behind his shoulders, and hands tugged by two heavy plastic bags of rolled tissue, he worked up along the 10 minute street. While hauling up the bags occasionally, he stood agaisnt a wall, tired as his limbs did not want to work anymore. He was pretty decent with heavy objects, as he carried them most of the days while helping out at the bodega. But that day, he was inexplicably worn out, and just wanted to get some shut eye once he reached home.

Now, Mark did not mention it before but their apartment was very close to the pier, as the yachts and ferries anchored themselves along the coast, resting. There were subtle whistles and rumbles resounding from the East River, and it caught him off guard last night. So, yes, he did see Donghyuck padding into their room and talk about someone grabbing his ass. That did explain the first question he was asked when he was welcomed in their apartment.

“Welcome back.” Mark said to himself, because despite the apartment being huddled in by four other people there were none in hindsight then. The blanket was still in the middle of the floor, everything squeaky clean and chips apparently stocked up, color coordinated. He didn’t know where to keep the toilet paper so he rested the bags against the wall and headed towards his room, looking for some peace.

But when he opened the room to his, he could see the hunched figure of Johnny’s (which too big to actually ignore) quivering as he sat himself in front of the computer. Mark could figure he was crying, with sniffs accompanying husky howls. He couldn’t cry any prettier and Mark was very tired to tell him so. Perhaps, he could bring it on sometime later.

“Johnny.” Mark said. As a roommate he knew he had to placate the poor guy, praying that he was crying for something he could relate to. Food or sleep.

“Mark?” Johnny craned his neck to look at Mark and once he did, he only bubbled in cries, raising his hand for a hug. Mark ignored that gesticulation,creeping close to see what was unfolding on his computer screen. Well, on his screen was a loop of video, a few beer belly men standing in a circle and in middle of them was what it seemed to be a paper sort. One of them took the paper and read out the scribbles of lines aloud. By then, Mark finally realized it was the email Johnny wrote to his girlfriend. They laughed, Johnny cried louder beside his ears, and another one of the guy started doing suggestive dance moves with the paper, which would be better to not to explain. Then, a girl whose face was not clear enough took the paper and ignited fire to one corner leading the paper to burn. Also there were some picture of Johnny, where they doodled some dicks, boogers in his nose and other lewd highschool wall drawings.

“Um…well they were all razzing you up, huh?” Mark didn’t know what to say, as the video wanted to repeat itself again so Mark quickly hit the pause button. It was not as humorous as it sounded in Mark’s head. Johnny looked at him, lips sagged and eyes drooped, like a 5 year old who had his first heart broken because the girl in the pigtails wouldn’t accept his flowers. Mark was not speaking from experience…okay, fine he was.

“Let’s get you to sleep.” Mark said after an awkward silence of darting his eyes all over the room. Johnny pointed at the open door of their bedroom and inclined his head towards it.

“Well, do you want me to get you something?”

“I want some sad curry. Give me some sad curry.” Johnny whimpered, and Mark only sighed inwardly because he was getting irked off. First, he was sleepy. Second, all of his roommates were weird. One had a split personality, other suffered from a eating disorder, other practically vanished (since Mark didn’t see him for a whole day) and another was crying over a breakup episode and wanted some ‘sad’ curry. _What does ‘sad’ curry even mean?_

“Well, then I’m going to get you some curry and-”

“Bring yourself a bowl too. I am going to talk about my feelings while we eat.”

“Fine.” Mark repeated to himself, “Fine.”

When Mark exited from the stale smell of their room, and walked through the corridor looking for ‘sad’ curry, he found Donghyuck beside the window, spectating the sky. Mark padded behind him, hoping that he would know the meaning of ‘sad’ curry.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” Donghyuck smiled as he looked behind. Donghyuck was then wearing a sheen white shirt with thigh ridden pants, so Mark tried to tear his eyes away from his tanned thighs. If that was his daily pajama look, Mark knew he had to suffer for a long long time.

“What-How you-What are you watching?” Mark stumbled on to the excess white clothing of the make-shift sofa, or whatever the heck it was, and stood next to Donghyuck. He shrugged but went on to say,

“I’m sad that we don’t have any neighbour or neighbouring building to stalk. So all I have left are the stars to flirt with.”

Mark grimaced, on that weird statement. Seriously, the ‘sad’ curry seemed less weirder then.

“Okay…super poetic…but I really need you to tell me what sad curry is.”

Donghyuck only groaned, combing his hair and pulling the ends of it. He seemed that he had enough of it.

“Is Johnny going through another breakup? Last time he needed a sad curry, one of his girlfriend dropped a bowl of spaghetti on top of him.”

“He was pretty bumped out with how his girlfriend was razzing him up-”

“I never liked Elena. She was too pretty for Johnny. I mean Johnny is very charming….very very charming but she just seemed to be too alien for him, you know?”

“Well, thank you for that information. I think we need to get started on the curry now because dude, I’m really sleepy. I need my sleep and that guy won’t let me sleep unless and until he has his curry. So please…”

“Gosh, fine.”

Donghyuck strode over to the counter, setting up the stove, utensils and pulling out packets of condiments and curry mix. Mark watched him do it with scrutiny, noting the names in his head so that he could make it for Johnny next time without asking Donghyuck’s help again. Donghyuck did much talking than getting the work done. Mark watched the pan seethe with smoke wafting under his nose, and Donghyuck went to grab something from the fridge.

“Chocolate?” Mark asked, astonished by seeing too bar of chocolate in Donghyuck’s grip.

“Well, that is what makes the curry a ‘sad’ curry.” Donghyuck piped, his hand moving at a fast pace now, as if cutting, searing up the ingredients was done on 2x motion. Mark couldn’t comprehend anything or even question what he was doing. So he gave up, and decided to leave the ‘sad’ curry in Donghyuck's hands in the near future.

Filling up the two bowl, with that mesmerizing smelling curry, Mark thanked Donghyuck for his help. Donghyuck patted Mark’s back and muttered a soft, “Anytime”. Mark didn’t know why, but there was inexplicable understanding between Donghyuck and him. It might have been because they were the same age, but still…it seemed like Donghyuck understood him the most among the others.

“Hey, Mark…”

Mark looked back, the soups dangerously balancing on his hands.

“Welcome home.”

Mark furrowed his brows at the sudden blurt and Donghyuck was also embarrassed. Mark could wait a second longer to hear Donghyuck explain.

“Well, I kind of saw you wishing it to yourself when you entered so I thought you deserved someone else saying it to you.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Among the taste-testing of Donghyuck’s curry, Johnny’s endless blabbering about his failed relationship and the screeches of some youngsters celebrating something in the pier, Mark couldn’t forget how delicious the curries tasted. It was like he was given a hug by the sweetness of the chocolate or the tinge of spiciness from the opened up peppers. It could make one sad person happy, so no wonder it was called the ‘sad’ curry.

Johnny was probably immune to it, since he only cried harder after tasting the curry. You would think that the image of the curry dripping from the corner of Johnny’s lips would make the taste of Mark’s curry disgusting but surprisingly it was fine. Moreover, Johnny loved the taste of tears combining with the curry. Not that Mark wanted to try.

\---

“Donghyuck, did you just make yourself curry at 8 in the night? You know, we have leftovers.” Jaehyun said calmly, contrasting his often fowl mood.

“Oh…Johnny needed some sad curries. You know, Elena…”

“Yeah, Johnny emailed the video to me and a bunch of emoticons and a Christmas card. Like where did that come from?”

Jaehyun placated his thirst with a glass of water, while Donghyuck spooned himself leftovers from the sides of the kettle where he cooked the curry before.

“Mark got trapped with Johnny so poor him.”

“Yeah…” Jaehyun smiled to himself, “Poor him.” Jaehyun turned to Donghyuck, his hand still holding onto a empty glass.

“You think he would eat curry with us tomorrow morning?”

“You don’t have to pull up your grumpy suit, okay? He is not like the other tenants we had, so go easy on him. Invite him to your curry feast or whatever. Nicely.” Donghyuck pursed his lips and pointed out to the glass pulled close to Jaehyun’s lips, “You know, there is no water in there.”

“OH THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE FOR THAT-” The sudden audible holler from Mark’s and Johnny’s room, took the two by a jolt. They didn’t know when the snake-like roommate had crawled his way into the apartment and to Johnny’s room. Taeil was like a chameleon, camouflaging himself to the walls and people would never notice him coming or going. It was a great help when they needed to steal some groceries from the out-dated grocery stores.

“When the fuck did he come by?” Donghyuck and Jaehyun padded to Johnny’s room, the booming laugh filling up the empty hallway. Jaehyun noted Mark’s high-pitched chuckles, and it was safe to say he never pulled attention to whatever Mark did anyway. The door opened wide, and there they were, crouched close in Johnny’s bed, each carrying a bowl of curry. _When the heck did Taeil get a curry?_ They would never know.

“What are you guys doing?” Donghyuck plopped himself in Johnny’s swiveling chair, crisscrossing his legs on the rough material. Mark said something about watching the Ellen’s scares compilation and the video on Kristen Bell’s Sloth video. Donghyuck jumped again from the chair, and indented his knees on the bed, and watched the video on Johnny’s new phone. They laughed again, but Jaehyun couldn’t understand what was so comical about it.

“Ty Burell didn’t see it coming.” Mark burst out in hiccuped laughs, pointing out to the phone screen, along with the rehearsed laugh tracks from the mobile. It was real audiences, Johnny said to Jaehyun once but Jaehyun didn’t believe it.

Donghyuck inclined his head on Mark’s shoulder, obviously opening his mouth ajar and taking in breath as he guffawed. Seeing that, Jaehyun inadvertently climbed up the bed taking the slot between Johnny and Mark and watched the video unfold without a single laugh to care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -wow, after like days i have finally written another chapter. it was hard, and there were like thousand of plan changes until i finally settled on this version of the chapter. well, originally, mark was not supposed to work for a bodega but for another thing.   
> -the streets real! google maps, you the queen! or the king-whatever you prefer.  
> -chocolate and curry goes well, so make your own 'sad' curry!   
> -i have a lot to say and i love love screaming people's ears off, so talk to me in the comments below. merry christmas and new years. probably a new chapter will greet in the new year.


	3. anal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark doesn't want to be misunderstood so he resorts to rant off. plus, they don't how to say clean, without mentioning the word anal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -after, four months. omg...its been so long since I've updated this. but, ig lockdown does make us productive. I was supposed to write more but I didn't have enough inspiration to stretch this. however, I have started to read more specs so that i can write more humorously. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

The sun rays filtered through the curtain-less windows, reflecting on the silver countertop, splattered with curry flavoured dashes. It was well known, at least to Mark, how awful he was in cooking up a decent meal. At his best, he would garner some awes and claps but it still didn’t add up to Mark’s satisfaction of being a decent cook. Perhaps, it was because during his childhood, decent cooking skills were so keenly sought after and how each of the dishes that Mark cooked were so closely scrutinized, it made him doubt his cooking skills. Also, partly because his parents were both chefs and under their strict guidance, a restaurant styled cuisine even failed to impress their idiosyncratic taste-buds.

On that thought, it had been a while since he gave his mother a call. 

As he swirled the ladle in the brimming pot of yellow sludge, he thought back to the last weeks he spent in that maddening apartment. The ever-hungry Donghyuck who harangued him over stealing his share of chips, even though there were still packets left for him engulf every two hours. It amazed Mark how he wasn’t constipating yet because of all the sodium in his system. 

Taeil, on the other hand, would be found curled up on the front porch on unearthly hours of the night, sometimes knickers attached to his like a crown or condom adorned on his fingers. Mark didn’t quite understand the ordeal with the spontaneous appearance of Taeil or Johnny, who, wordlessly hoisted Taeil back to his room. Perhaps, Johnny had dealt with it so many time prior that it was a casual spur that he would get himself wrapped around. He often called on Johnny if he found Taeil passed out in a drunken stupor, rubbing his face on Mark’s legs like a feline.

Of course, there was Jaehyun. He kept himself closed off so much of the day, cooped up in his room lavishing in his affinity, Mark often forgot he was even present in the apartment. But ever so slightly, Jaehyun made his presence known, by picking up stray pieces of tissue paper that Taeil always left behind after rubbing his nose, or soundlessly cleaning up after dinner or when rarely, whenever they would gather around for a game of soccer on Johnny’s mobile. Jaehyun would curl himself against one of the couch, his face would sit expressionless in contrast to boisterous presence the other three would welcome in.

Now, days weren’t so peaceful in that side of the city even though the roommates kept their lively anecdotes at bay. The pier close by, bought in new forms of blaring celebration of youngsters that Mark wouldn’t be able to conjure up decent amounts of sleep. Johnny seemed almost deaf to those kinds of noises, muting it down with his own piece of noise-cancelling earphone. Mark would bubble up in jealously as his pillow didn’t muffle shit. But it was way better than hearing sex sounds from the other side of the wall, in his old apartment.

Yes, Johnny never slept during the night, owning the sobriquet of “nocturnal” like a king. He pretty much lived up to it, unless he was completely drunk out of his wits. Most of that would be Taeil’s fault.

On the other hand, Taeil had proudly taken ownership of being the apartment bibulous. You wouldn’t find him without a beer in his hand, because it was pretty much day-to-day water to him.

Honestly, all of their hard-headed gastric conditions amazed Mark. But all in all, Mark had fun. The whimsical days that passed by like a breeze, Mark couldn’t even keep count.

“The curry just looks like shit now.” Mark sighed to himself, dipping his pinky finger in the rim of the pan. He shook his head, concluding that it was decent. Not enough to vomit, or dispose of upon for hours. Wiping the remnant of the yellow liquid on the tip of his finger, he took a glance over his shoulder, squinting his eyes at the familiar figure.

Donghyuck, as usual, had taken his harbour on the couch (as in the yard long cotton which had the weird ability to make people fall asleep) handling a submarine sandwich in between his hands. He had difficulty balancing it and figuring out the way of biting without letting all the contents slip off, nevertheless hadn’t much difficultly shoving it down his throat.

Mark looked to and fro from his shoulder to the slumped figure of Donghyuck, contemplating if he should invite him to taste his curry. He wasn’t confident even though the whole point of making one was for them. Unless Mark liked wasting ingredients and the 100 dollars he stole from Jaehyun’s emergency stash. He wouldn’t elaborate on the latter.

  
  


“Hey,” Mark hollered as he swung around, the ladle still clutched in his fist. Donghyuck looked back, stretched cheeks and with his usual stink-eyes. It unknowingly crumbled down the mustered confidence but Mark figured he should continue on his purpose.

“What?” Donghyuck groaned exasperatedly, the half-chewed bread muffling his words. 

“I have cooked dinner-”

“I don’t want it.” Donghyuck casually shrugged and Mark figured the 7foot long sandwich either made up for his hunger or he was trying to tick Mark off. Unsurprisingly, both of the reasons made it for the argument as Donghyuck, indirectly quipped loudly, on how full he was.

“Come on…” Mark padded towards the sat figure of his roommate, squatting beside him with the ladle still in his hand, “I worked so hard on it. ” 

Donghyuck only snapped his head back, the deadpan expression settling in. It was obvious he didn’t want Mark to interrupt him in his “eating binge” but Mark couldn’t help it. He spent four hours scanning the internet for the perfect recipe to fill up the others in his attempt of making a curry and he didn’t want it to drown in Donghyuck’s usual tantrums. Plus, Jaehyun’s money…that was the part he was most terrified of.

“Can’t you piss off? I am doing something here.” Donghyuck inclined his eyebrows at the half-devoured sandwich as an emphasis partly on how Mark shouldn’t disturb him from his drudgery. Mark whined a bit more, pulling in low-pitched “ah”s adding a bit of pompous feet stomping. Donghyuck furrowed his brows, underway of taking another bite, before looking up to glare at Mark.

“You are really upsetting my appetite here. Also, I don’t want to taste your half-assed curry or whatever shit you are cooking.”

“It ain’t shit.” Mark defended, his lips curling inwards.

“You said it yourself. I am not making things up.” Donghyuck mentioned simply, going back to attach his mouth on the large bread. Mark wondered how Donghyuck could even fit all of those in his stomach. God bless his digestive system. 

However, as much as Mark wanted to give up on his persuasion of pulling Donghyuck off that plop of clothing and tug him towards the kitchen, he wanted to be childishly obstinate. He stood there like a statue, knitting his hand in front of him and stared at Donghyuck while he devoured the sandwich. He knew he would come as bother, but that was what he intended. Donghyuck, obviously wavered under his irksome shadow and sighed, leaving the half-eaten sandwich on the floor.

“Fine!” Donghyuck announced loudly, “I am going to call Jaehyun and ask him to join.”

Mark did a small hop off the floor, excitement evident in his wide grin and cocked eyebrows.

Donghyuck only squinted at him and commented on his weird ministrations.

“I swear you get a buzz out of annoying us,” he mumbled under his breath as he swiftly tapped Jaehyun’s contact number and cursed on how he barely received phone calls.

It was true, Mark never got Jaehyun to answer his calls and got him to reach back to him. It was either out of reception, busy or straight up hung upon. Once Jaehyun did call back, which was out of ordinary that Mark couldn’t wait to answer it, in the middle of his work. But of course, Jaehyun only alarmed him of the lack of toilet papers at home and wanted him to bring up a bunch. The only thing given utmost priority in that apartment was toilet papers. 

Donghyuck clicked his tongue because Jaehyun was ignoring his calls as usual. Jaehyun was actually caged in his room right then, like he always was but as lazy as his flatmates were they wouldn’t even give a damn of just merely walking to his door and knocking on it. They baulked at the idea of a possible exercise…but Johnny was a bit different. He made sure he had his 10000 steps squeezed in his daily regime and of course weight lifting wasn’t excused. 

“I will send him a text. I am sure he is watching wanking to something.” Donghyuck then cooed, “A bit off cock-blocking from me won’t do any harm right?”

Mark was still standing there, for your information, his legs itching in soreness. Donghyuck quickly typed Jaehyun a sentence or two, probably on the lines of “Stop wanking and receive my calls.” or “I am going to tell Jenna you are watching porn.” Baseless threats were one of Donghyuck’s strengths and it pretty much did not reciprocate any reaction. 

Or so Mark thought, because as quickly Donghyuck sent the texts, a calls rung on his screen like a blaring alarm.

“That was quick.” Donghyuck quipped as he received the call with a coy smile, “Hey, J…finally came to your senses?”

But that smile was soon replaced with defending abashment, as Donghyuck repeatedly rambled off “no”s and “I did not misplace your money.” plus, “I did not take money from your emergency stash”. Now, Mark knew what that was exactly about as he could pretty much hear Jaehyun’s raged accusations racketing from the other side. With jittery shifts of his feet, he meant to weasel out of Donghyuck’s sight at that instant but a snap of Donghyuck halted Mark on his way.

“Okay. I will see what I can do.” Donghyuck nodded absentmindedly, although he had his eyes fixed on Mark’s hovering shadow, “For the last time, I am not a fucking snitch, okay? Search it up…you may have misplaced it somewhere.” With that, he hung up the call but Mark could feel his ground weigh down with all the nervousness piling upon him. 

Donghyuck was nice, benevolent at time, perhaps childish but all of that would vanish once he would get raged over something. Squeeze up the prey like a mouse in a trap. Yes, Mark was the mouse now. 

“What did you do?” His voice pulled low, as he craned his neck back to glare. Mark only raised his shoulders and gave a sheepish smile. 

Way to appear innocent, Mark! Those days of crime shows added up to nothing!

“Jaehyun was fucking pissed. Do you know what happens when he is pissed?”

“He snaps people’s neck like a pencil?” 

Donghyuck shook his head, Mark guessed some more answers.

“Um…he would kick me out?” Donghyuck shook his head again, raising himself from the floor with a grunt, “Wait…he wouldn’t castrate me would he?”

“Mark, fucking shut up! This isn’t time for a fucking quiz.” Donghyuck shouted catching Mark off-guard, his shoulders quivering up at the sudden screech, “Why did you take the money?”

“I didn’t have any money on me and I had to buy the ingredients for the curry.” Mark replied softly. Donghyuck took pity on him as he bobbed his once and patted his shoulder. Probably, it was because Jaehyun’s “lash-out” session still awaited him and he didn’t want to tire him off with his own one. 

“Just pray he doesn’t kill you.” Donghyuck replied, punching his shoulders in between his palm. Mark felt like crying…he shouldn’t have sneaked out last night to seize the 100 bucks from his stash. It was for emergencies and he knew it. The progression he had with Jaehyun or the lack thereof) would all be squandered like that, just stomped under your feet just like that.

“Kill who?” They both turned around to see Jaehyun standing there, with his arms crossed on his chest and his shabby hair standing in all directions. He looked in shambles with his shirt tucked out and sleeved rolled up to his elbows. Mark felt so horribly responsible and he expected the vendetta that was ought to dawn upon them.

“No one.” Donghyuck said, before turning around to Mark, “No one, right?”

“No one.” He confirmed, but he was sure his shivering voice gave it away. Donghyuck pinched Mark’s thigh as to notify him to continue speaking, not to catch any doubt over their bizarre behaviour.

“We were just making up theories about the new Netflix series.” Mark chuckled nervously, “You know, the one we are watching together?”

Jaehyun hummed, and Mark could hear the sigh of relief they both took inwardly. He was hopefully convinced because if not, they were sure to see hell that day. They watched Jaehyun like a hawk, as he made his way to the kitchen counter and filled up a glass of water. Jaehyun assumably felt the riveting eyes on him, as he twisted his face to stare back at them.

“Something wrong?”

“No. No. No.” Donghyuck whisked his hands repeatedly, “Nothing wrong.”

“Why are you two sticking together like that?” He pointed out the lack of space in between Mark and Donghyuck, as they were pretty much-glued side by side. It did look weird, and Mark immediately tore himself off Donghyuck’s leather jacket. He could feel the reek of Donghyuck’s musk lift off him, the reason to which his body shot into pandiculation the entire time.

However, there was the inexplicable urge to feel the warmth of Donghyuck's arms again, against his, and that was surely not the time and place to think about how comfortable it felt.

“Everything’s fine.” Mark added. Jaehyun was convinced yet again, as he went back to gulp his drink in one-shot. Mark watched Jaehyun’s throat undulate with each belt of water, as it built the apprehension settling in the wide silence the living room observed. Donghyuck was back on the cotton piece, returning to his half-eaten sandwich, without a care of the wrath Mark was about to face in the matter of seconds. The matter of importune of forgiveness on his tongue, when finally Jaehyun eyes chased the heaps of packaged groceries and the cargo bags on the counter.

“Super? Did anyone of you go to the departmental store?” Jaehyun voice took the tone of suspicion, as he eyed the pretentious two looking either way, “These are fucking expensive. Donghyuck knows that.” His eyes then settled on Mark, his lurid voice breaking him up from the trance of nervousness, “Are you fucking stealing these, Mark?”

“Mark didn’t steal your money!” Donghyuck screeched, as Mark jolted at the suddenness. His eyes rounded as he stared at the cowed individual under, enjoying his sandwich carelessly. He could have continued eating his sandwich, why did he have to speak up? Yes, he wanted to defend him under the eyes of the Lochness Monster (he didn’t have any other term to describe the facade Jaehyun was wearing, okay?), but really he could have handled it just fine.

“WHAT?!” It was the first time Mark ever saw Jaehyun pitch his voice than the squeaks he vocalized. It would have been pretty refreshing, if they weren’t wrapped in that kind of doozy situation.

“Donghyuck overflowed the toilet last Saturday! It wasn’t Taeil. Also, Donghyuck told me about the stash.” Mark blamed Donghyuck, pointing at him accusingly. It was the best Mark could do, yes, pass the blame with a non sequitur claim on the next innocent person you could find. Also, the possible person who was trying to forfend the argy-bargy from even happening.

_ Nice work, Mark! You ruin everything! _

It was so suddenly hot in the apartment, he could feel the perspiration crawling down his neck. Pretty sure it was all the reflections of the seething anger lightened in Jaehyun’s ogling eyes. 

“Mark, keep your mouth clamped shut.” Donghyuck stood up, flinging his sandwich on the ground which shot it cross the floor, “I thought you were going to use that money for EMERGENCIES! Not for fixing a fucking dinner!”

“Well, I didn’t want to. But I wanted to show my gratefulness to all of you by making you dinner. Is that so sneaky? Plus, I didn’t have any money on me because all of you ramble my ears off to attend errands, buy toilet papers and fucking chips. Do you know how much money I lost on all of you?…” Mark was going on a length here and it was a while he got so raged over something. Even though admittedly it was his fault but it felt so relieving to finally let all his frustrations out. He didn’t care. At all.

“...Fucking thousands. You all pricks are so lazy that you can’t even fetch a cup of water from the kitchen. One is a fucking drunkard who has no sense of time, other has an eating disorder, other wanks out loud too much that I can’t sleep and you…” Mark looked at Jaehyun who had his mouth gape open, “…just talk to me. For once.”

Mark turned to Donghyuck to find him knocked out by the sudden outburst from the goody-two-shoes or happy-go-lucky guy they finally had, in their clique. Mark probably disappointed them, and now he should search up some apartment listings on Craiglist, not even a month after.

“Donghyuck, please just flush. I thought you were fucking anal.”

“Oh shut your rotten mouth!” It was more of a mumble than a taunt, “Everyone knows Jaehyun is the fucking anal in this household.” 

“Can you two just…” Jaehyun finally raised his voice, attaining the attention of the two, “Yes. You two. I still standing here and I am not a fucking audience watching The Kardashians on TV. Mark…” Jaehyun sighed gravely, “…I am giving you the benefit of the doubt but don’t just go around taking my money without my permission.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Mark grumbled and for once, he could hear Jaehyun heave frustratingly. He was capable of feeling for him, Mark thought. But that sentiment didn’t come far, as Mark anger only petered to grow inside him as he knew those moments of pity were only episodic. 

“Well, it was a bad one.” Donghyuck quipped, “Plus, you ruined my sandwich so you have to buy me a new one, self-acclaimed beggar.”

“You know what, I can’t stand you.” Mark turned on his heels, scrunching his face as he looked at Donghyuck. He was leaning against the far wall, legs rested in angle as he kept his face cocky. Did he think he was part of a detective show or something?

“Oh, you think I can stand you?” Donghyuck chuckled, “Get your fucking ass out of here!”

The last bit was screamed, drilling their ears. Mark shouldn’t have told Donghyuck to get the vocal training he always pestered to attend; it only came to his disadvantages. Donghyuck always bemoaned about petty things, like when his food went missing or Taeil sneaked away his blankets or when someone abruptly entered his room, without knocking. It went for days, in fact, pointing out in every antic he carried out. Donghyuck always had something to say.

Particularly, that evening, Mark acknowledged his complaints. He stretched his lips tautly, and without noticing the inched arm of Jaehyun who was trying to make him stay, he somberly climbed-

“You know, there is another way from the porch. You don’t have to climb the fire exit.” Jaehyun noted, as Mark looked back disappointed. 

“That would have been the most dramatic exit I could have made and you ruined it. Thanks.”

“I just-”

“Fucking shut up!” Donghyuck pointed to azure skies outside, “Get your ass out. You are not a protagonist of a chick flick.”

So there Mark was, the absence of his guitar, heavy on his arms as he wished he would have richer to afford a much more sumptuous. At the end of the day, he deemed, you always want something more to feed your greed. Nothing is a reparation for the previous suffering you went through, because everywhere there would be a Donghyuck to snatch that satiation away.

On the other hand, or an ashy hand, laid Donghyuck on the floors of the terrace as he watched Mark do a breathing exercise for fifteen minutes. He didn’t fall asleep midway, which was expected of him, but he took notes of how slowly Mark chest rose and fell upon his won accord and he counted the time Mark was hitched out of the afternoon air. Too many times, to be honest. 

Donghyuck took a puff of his second cigarette that day, which was a violation of the pact he made with Johnny when he started on the whole, “chain-smoking” thing. A stupid pack of, “nobody can puff two times a day unless you don’t want to get stoned on the dope on Friday!” Yes, they did drugs and what about it?

Mark probably didn’t do that, right? Donghyuck halted the train of thoughts before it sloped further.

But, Donghyuck didn’t want to act so rash with Mark either. The whole debacle on the money and Jaehyun’s argument (or lack thereof), wasn’t the part where he was kicking Mark out to take sanctuary on the chilly terrace. He wanted the opposite; he wanted to be one comforting him after he got scolded. He wanted to be the decent prince charming but that role would be probably usurped by-

“Mark, heat me up that curry.” Jaehyun beckoned, the iron door cringing as it opened. Mark snapped his neck back, looking at him hopefully as a sense of relief washed over him. Donghyuck went being unnoticed under the shadow of the shed he was sitting under, as the 10-minute long stakeout failed inevitably.

Meanwhile, with a hop on the end of his heels, Mark accompanied Jaehyun down the stairs. Jaehyun stopped, however, on the way and looked back.

“You know, you could have shopped from the bodegas, or cheap markets or what have you. The departmental store is a bit too expensive-”

“I wanted the best…”

“Pup, pup, pup-” Jaehyun wagged his fingers on-air, mirroring the same amiability as he did on the food store, “- the lobster from the rundown restaurant is the best. So buy those couple.”

“Shouldn’t that be expensive?” Mark walked down, beside him watching Jaehyun floundering with the keys, “I mean, seafood and New York.”

“Quite the contrary, though.

  
  


Donghyuck followed a while after, his pants rolled up high up to his knees and exasperated grimace worn over his face. When he looked himself at the window, he thought “not bad”, perhaps he could own the title of being a “hunger driven gipsy” if he could. Acting gigs came difficult, but the acting roles such as “depressed gorilla” or “sexy car mechanic who is by the way rich as fuck” or “cry while laughing as you fix a sink” came common than you would think. 

The lack of scripts were making Donghyuck desperate. Oh yes, he did take part in spontaneous acting gigs whenever it luckily toppled over him. 

“Mark, this is really delicious. I take my lobster comment back.” Jaehyun smiled as he gobbled down the curry hastily. He seemed sincere, the absence of a mocking smirk and crinkled eyes made up for that fact. Mark sheepishly rubbed his nape and nodded. 

Donghyuck groaned, fast pacing through the dining room and took a seat opposite of Jaehyun. With a bowl full of bubbling curry, he satisfied himself with two spoonfuls of tongue scathing curry. It burned like hell, and Mark bought him water as he hyperventilated.

“You could have waited until it cooled down.” Mark said, clicking his tongue as he wiped the spits of curry Donghyuck managed to splatter all over the table. 

As Donghyuck was about to take another spoon, Mark handled the spoon away from him and blew over it twice. Donghyuck stared at him like an unyielding two-year-old, as if watching his Dad cool off poison. 

“Here.” Mark lend the spoon back and Donghyuck gingerly pasted his lips over the ladle and took a sip. It amazed his brains, how much Jaehyun downplayed the cuisine the curry was. It was freaking chef’s kiss, over the world right to heaven kind of curry. The mixture of spices blew into the thin line of savoriness coating your tongue, as the sweetness later came on a soft surge of waves, cleansing your palate and only to crave another sip more. 

“No.” Donghyuck muttered, as Mark’s sanguine face came to a blank, “This can’t be it. You can’t be here-”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, fucking participate in Masterchef program, you son of a Gordon Ramsay. This is fucking the most delicious thing I ever ate.”


	4. the house NARC is here! (1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark gets his ears pierced and donghyuck wouldn't apologize to him even though it was his fault. some guy called bunny man barges in on a nice Saturday, only to pacify Johnny of his worries. both doesn't work out very well.

“Where is Donghyuck?” Mark inquired Taeil, who was engrossed in assembling a tea party puzzle. Those days, Taeil would be found almost any corner of the apartment vis-a-vis the porch or the pavement in front of their house,, drunk to his wits. It was a decent change, and Mark was mostly relieved that he didn’t have to tug him through flights of stairs, causing either of them to slip and fell to the pit of their death.

Taeil sighed, as if being bothered on his inquest of stapling a puzzle piece, in what might seem like a mind-boggling gap in the middle of the puzzle map. Mark squinted his eyes, as he scrutinized the half-assembled tea table, also deducing which of the remaining pieces of grey went there.

“I am going to clean the porch,” Taeil imitated Donghyuck’s high-pitched tone, “You wanna come with? Donghyuck said before he vanished off, verbatim.”

“So, why didn’t you go and help him?” What Mark didn’t expect was a glare thrown from the back of his shoulder, as he snapped his head back again and concentrated on the puzzle. It was obvious, his eyes said. Mark shouldn’t have asked.

“I didn’t want to impose on him. Doy!” Taeil replied in a soft mumble, emitting a gasp right next, notifying that he finally found the right puzzle piece. Mark watched Taeil, place it in the gap and he was sure there was nothing more satiating than that. Nowadays, the toy companies pack more pieces than actually needed for the completion of the image painted on the box, pulling them in that bewildering journey of just staring at your pieces and counting them continuously. So he related to the satisfying heave of breath Taeil let out, to an extent.

“I’ll go and help him, then.”

Mark went outside, hauling his own pair of rubber gloves and a container of disinfectant. Once he was exposed to the empty corridor, the rustles of Donghyuck cleaning up the floor with grunts and grumbles, became more audible as he approached closer. Probably, he was cursing every profanity he knew to himself or it was being directed to Taeil, who knew.

“I am here.” Mark softly uttered, as he knocked on the wall beside him. Donghyuck looked back and grumbled exasperatedly, rolling his eyes, obviously disappointed at his presence. The bay window that was holed in the upper floor, blessed some sun rays to filter through and highlight the brown streaks of Donghyuck's plop of hair. He didn’t brush his hair that day, so he looked pretty dishevelled. The rolled-up hems of his cargo pants and high sleeved pullover only accentuated his messy state, which only made the scene more comical than it seemed.

You know, Mark was trying to suppress his laugh and restrain his want to snap a picture for blackmailing him later on.

“Not the best of my days.” Donghyuck hollered, as he curled his hand and urged to come close. Mark sauntered slowly, wearing a goofy smile on his face s if seeing Donghyuck in ruining frustration was one of his favourite pleasure.

“You getting a kick out of this?” Donghyuck cocked his eyebrows, and he sent the wet mope flying from his hand and right at the Mark’s shoes. He inclined his head towards the other edge of the corridor, as if asking him to join him to clean.

“Taeil said he didn’t want to ‘impose’ on you…”Mark chuckled, “Did his strongly exhausted alcohol inebriation take a few years of his grammar stance or what?”

“He doesn’t really care about grammar or basically anything. It’s really, sometimes, just sometimes refreshing to see him act childishly. Makes me want to care of him.”

Mark, upon hearing the statement, petered into guffaws, almost losing his balance as he sat on his haunches. He kept on wiping the floor carelessly, as he kept on laughing without restrain. Not even when Donghyuck gave him the stink-eye as he muttered “Idiot” under his breath.

“You taking care of him? Getting brave…I see.” Mark said after a while, calming down from his high. Donghyuck only smiled tautly, pinching Mark’s ears as the latter incited a hiss.

“Don’t make me beat you up when I am already tired.” Donghyuck sighed, as he nudged Mark to pass him the water bottle. As Mark lent the bottle on to Donghyuck’s grip, the latter immediately pursed his lips around the opening, and gulped a hefty.

“We wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t volunteered to clean up the poop yourself.” Mark said, catching Donghyuck eyes as he stood up and cinched his wait with his hand, “Really, you should have asked them to clean up their own mess.”

Mark subtly pointed out to the other door on the far side of the corridor. The dwellers there, were always creating some debacle which was left for Donghyuck to clean because they had some “Stupid deal”. They wouldn’t take responsibility for their own dunces which they did everywhere and anywhere, and it ticked Mark off that all they did was blame Donghyuck for it. As much Mark loved to see Donghyuck tearing his locks off for another day of cleaning…it wasn’t satiating to see that happening every other day.

“You could tell them to clean their own poop…but that would result in three options. You aren’t going to be fond of any of them but I am going to tell them just to see you pop a nerve. First, they might kidnap you and you will be gone with a trace. Don’t worry, we aren’t going to look for you. Second, there is hand chopping…finger chopping? I guess they added it recently. Third. This is my favourite. They might just pierce your ears.”

“Where did ear piercing come from? I thought they were an underground gang or something.” The wet mope was long forgotten by Mark’s sandals, as he listened to Donghyuck blabber off.

“Oh, one of them…Jacob, was it? He has been learning and training to work at a piercing parlour. Cool, right? He asked me if I would be willing to…and he could let me off this annoying deal but my ears are more precious than these morning hours.” Donghyuck crept his fingers towards his ears, and moulded it between his fingers, “…side note, you would look hot with an ear-piercing.”

“Weird compliment but eh,” Mark shrugged, “I’ll take it.”

The next day, as Mark entered the room, crunching a paper in one hand and the other covering his ears, Donghyuck couldn’t believe his eyes. Midway through his bag of chips, he stood up and padded towards him. His hands were stuck in the air, as he restrained to touch Mark’s hand that was cupped over his right ear.

“No-Don’t tell me-”

“You are free. I spent 50 dollars and got my ears pierced. I do not take any criticism.” Mark handed over the paper with a smile, and Donghyuck wasn’t sure if Mark was really okay. He couldn’t even ask him that because he wasn’t the person to do so.

“You look ugly yet pretty cool.”

“Enjoy your freedom,” The blood was already slithering down Mark’s right palm as his face scrunched up painfully…Donghyuck was regretting not mentioning that Jacob was not a professional. Another reason that he didn’t give the piercing a try. He felt sorry but…

“Mark…” By the time he called out his name softly, Mark had already disappeared into his room.

\---

“The house NARC is here!” Donghyuck announced, failing to catch any of his roommates attention as they remained engrossed in each of their tasks. Taeil was handling another set of puzzles, Jaehyun doing his part of the dishes while Mark tapped around the newly bought tablet PC. The tablet PC, was actually owned by Johnny, who only invested in it capriciously from one second-hand shop because he was tired of watching shows on the tiny mobile screen. He sometimes lent it to Mark, to browse music-related articles and chords.

Doyoung, the said principal character, frowned upon the lacklustre reaction of the others. He gripped Donghyuck’s shoulder tight, and as the latter looked back, he could see the upturned lips of the poor guy. He should beat some sense into the others, for ignoring his announcement and making the bunny man sad.

“Oh, bunny man!” Johnny shut the door behind him, “You came.”

“Finally, at least someone noticed my presence.” Doyoung sighed and laughed nervously. Johnny shook his head and flapped his hand saying that he only came out to grab some water, and didn’t even hear Donghyuck’s ruckus of an announcement. Doyoung sulked with shoulders hunched, accompanying an elongated pitched whine.

The apartment appeared as polished and clean as the last time Doyoung visited them, as it appalled him every time. Living in New York, and that at the shabby part of the city with the port just next to them, cleanness was unimaginable. Also, as a person owning a cleaning company of his own, it would be always appalling to see what a clean spectacle an apartment was with 4 young male adults. It didn’t make sense in any way, but the fact that Jaehyun (who might have been Doyoung’s best friend at one moment in the past) had OCD, lived up to the fact.

“Mark, bunny man!” Johnny grabbed his water bottle from the kitchen in a swift, and addressed Mark who was drowning in a YouTube video of some sort to even notice Doyoung standing there, bewildered out of his wits, “Come and say hi!”

“Bunny man?” Mark pulled his earphones with an irked groan, “The one who went on a murder rampage on Easter?”

“Huh…”Johnny shrugged, and moved a bit to reveal Doyoung standing still in front of the front door, “I wish. No, it’s just my friend.”

“Why would you even think that, Mark?” Donghyuck asked as Mark rose up from the make-shift couch and twisted his arms above his head. All of his blood seemed to have jammed in his biceps, and it made an electric shudder travel through his spine, “Those Top 10 murder videos you watch all day wired you like this.”

“No, it didn’t.” Mark hissed defensively and walked towards Doyoung with lazed strides, “Nice to meet you. I’m Mark.”

“I kind of got your name,” Doyoung said sheepishly, inching his arms for a handshake which mark accepted gladly with a curt smile. Mark never had the guts to engage in a spontaneous conservation or even ice-break with a stranger he only 5 minutes ago, because it always ended up in an awkward spaghetti of stutters and nape scratches, but Doyoung seemed casual enough.

“So why bunny man? A kind of a trademark or something?”

“Oh well…”Johnny popped out of nowhere, and wrung his arms around Mark’s neck and pulled his back closer to his chest, “He kind of looks like a bunny.”

“I don’t quite see-” Donghyuck just then pulled the corner of Doyoung’s eyes back to give some sort of elevation to match the resemblance, “-ah, I see it now. You really do look like one.”

“He doesn’t really like it. The name, I mean.” Johnny continued and Donghyuck, on the other hand, tried to snatch the water bottle of his hand, which Johnny succeeded in dodging, “He likes called being NARC much more.”

“Well, it can be considered a compliment.” Doyoung smiled as he bobbed his head, “You should take anything as a compliment from these guys.”

“NARC isn’t too bad, I agree.” Mark shook his head, ripping away from Johnny’s strangling hold as the latter finally gave up and lent his water bottle to Donghyuck, who gulped mouthfuls from it immediately. Seemed liked he had a dried-up throat for a while. The reason he hadn’t been talking. There was never a time he would shut up unless he had been eating or drinking, or was hungry or thirsty in that sense.

“Well, the reason he is called a NARC is really not that fun. He literally told us off the one time we got drunk and tried to pee outside some rich man’s house. Everything spiralled down after that, because we didn’t almost talk for a year.” Donghyuck as he wiped the water that trickled down his chin.

“That’s pretty long to hold a vendetta…Plus, he was right to tell you off. You were pissing at someone’s porch.”

“Oh, Mark…you don’t know how long I can hold a grudge. The only thing I am good at.” Donghyuck said, as he quickly averted his eyes from Mark’s ears. He swore that that was the only feature his eyes were trailing to at every instance but he wouldn’t say he was worried, even though the huge mole-like infection on his ear was pretty concerning and obstructing.

“You are a medical student. I bet that is not the only thing you are good at.” Doyoung referred, “Also, after a year-It was pretty funny-” He laughed to himself, “-he called me on the phone and was like…Johnny wants you back. Come back home. I miss you. All that stuff.”

“Johnny and you were dating?” Mark gasped because Johnny never mentioned anything about being bi. Actually Johnny never mentioned anything, except how awesome were Chicago Bears, his legs and his paintings. Or how devastatingly menacing his ex-girlfriend was. But he never seemed to be the person to hang on to someone of the past, or worse, still be friends with him.

“Yeah, for like 5 years.” Johnny said nonchalantly as he threw his arms over Doyoung’s shoulder and pulled him close to his side, “We decided to be friends afterwards and have causal hang-outs. It’s pretty good.”

“5 years is long. It’s almost worse than Donghyuck having a year-long vendettas towards people, who try to do nice things for him.”

“Mark, you understand.” Donghyuck folded his arms on his chest and tilted his posture to the side, “That’s what I’ve been saying for years. You see, Doyoung even married Taeyong…Taeyong, who was Johnny’s ex-boyfriend from high-school years. Like, see the chain here?”

“How many guys have you dated? Like from where do you even get the years to indulge in dalliance?”

“I pride myself of it. The only thing I am good at.” Johnny grinned, showcasing the moronic disposition he held.

“YOU ARE A MEDICAL STUDENT!” Doyoung and Mark inadvertently announced it in unison. It was pretty clear they sympathized each other, for living with the worst outcomes of a person.

“Your roommates are nice,” Doyoung said as he sat on the ledge, looking upon the trash the narrow street was. Quite impressive, Doyoung even thought, as he plotted as a cleaning agent, on how many staff he would have to employ to make it _ “squeaky clean” _ . The latter being a catchphrase he came up for his company, as a mere encouragement for the day would be filled with schedule clogging window washes and office renovations.

“My roommates…”Doyoung couldn’t see but he knew Johnny was shaking his head aggressively, “You would know if you ever lived with them. A bunch of idiots.”

“You are an idiot. Better yet, do your roommates a favour of being the intellectual one. Jaehyun is doing a better job. You know what, Taeil is too.”

“He would if he could control his impulsive drinking antics.” Johnny handed Doyoung the opened bottle of beer at which Doyoung looked at disappointingly. Well, the beer at hand wasn’t the disappointment but the matter Taeil, being a responsible 28 year old couldn’t control his inebriated wits, “He cries about Sarah. Sarah, who is MY ex.”

“The one who dumped you over the ring accident.” Doyoung chuckled, looking over Johnny’s slanted shoulders and sulked face over the cursed incident, “Don’t worry. Mark hasn’t to know. He is already surprised with your philandering antics. He deserves a break and you don’t deserve a new low.”

“You aren’t making this any better.” Johnny smiled nonetheless and took a swing of his beer while Doyoung stared at his hung legs over the ledge. It had been a while since they had been alone like that. Well, singling out the night before Doyoung’s wedding, when Johnny had confessed to him that he didn’t want him to get married to that “Bastard! That small prick!”

But now, that everything had calmed down and after a few broken relationships on Johnny’s part, Doyoung had received a call. The day before, Johnny had pleaded him (the said person wouldn’t admit that he begged him) to visit him once so that they could talk. It had been a while, he said and Doyoung couldn’t let go the wistful tone Johnny had layered on his voice. The shrillness of his voice, the whirr of Johnny’s broken AC, the murmur of Taeil echoing on the other side asking if Doyoung said “Yes”.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Johnny scratched his nape, trying to find the right words to shape his disorganized, “Well, you pretty much know what I want to say by the string of texts I sent you last few months-”

“I know and I don’t want to talk about it. I am pretty hurt, actually. Not hurt, but sad.”

“Is it about Taeyong having a small dick? I am really sorry about that. I was drunk and Taeil told me to send it-” Doyoung interrupted Johnny again with a soothing caress on his shoulder. He tightened his lips as the hand fell again on his lap, his finger wrapping around the stressed part of his jeans.

“You know well what I’m talking about.”

“So can you have kids?” It was a failed attempt at changing the subject since Johnny wasn’t very experienced at it. All he had to do was to jump the gun and he did. Plus, it was a good time as any to prove one of the options the article on Buzzfeed provided. It was tempting, okay?

**[10 ways to change the subject when you’ve nothing else to offer]**

Doyoung was left unimpressed at his poor attempt, but didn’t coerce further. It was apparent that Johnny had no intentions talking about it, even though the sole reason Johnny called him there was  _ that _ .

“No, obviously. I mean I’m not biologically able. But if you are talking about adoption, Taeyong and I decided that we would think about it. I mean his composition career…”Doyoung shuddered within himself and enticed a laugh meaninglessly, “-It’s great actually. But, I don’t think we-”

“He is broke, isn’t he?”

“No.”

Johnny hardened his features and held Doyoung’s shoulders to twist his body towards him. Doyoung sighed and finally met Johnny’s eyes underneath his spaced-out raven bangs.

“Okay. Fine. Yes. We are not in a better place. You were right. I was too hasty with the wedding and I shouldn’t have done that. I should have called it off when you told me to.” He gesticulated with flailing arms.

“But you loved him. At least, the night before your wedding, you did. I don’t care if I’m right, Doyoung.”Johnny tried to scour his mind for the right words and he was regretting drinking his fourth beer that day. He needed a cigarette and he knew he was impotent on providing the right “pacifying” words for his ex-boyfriend-friend, “I want what’s best for you. Or what was best for me. I liked you that day but I don’t any more. I think. You know that. Plus, it’s not about kids that define you that you are happy and in a harmonious relationship with your husband. It’s kind of about the caring and loving shit which I think you do the best.”

“Thanks. You are being cheesy, though.”

“Ugh…”Johnny shivered as he let go off the grip upon Doyoung’s arms, “It’s all that movies Mark watches.”

Doyoung laughed and patted Johnny’s cheeks before letting it to with a pinch, “You are being cute, that’s all. It’s good you are confronting your feelings rather than depending on your beer and blabbering gibberish.”

“I am not. I still haven’t told him.”

“There is always the night before the wedding. The days after too, I guess. So you don’t have to worry about pouring your heart to him if you don’t want to now.”

“Okay.”

\---

“Donghyuck…”Mark caught on Donghyuck wrist before he could slither to his room and hide for the whole of the night so that he didn’t have to show his face for the rest of the eternity Mark would exist for. He did that before; he only grew impressively  **(read: suspiciously** ) better at it, “You are running away again.”

“Obviously.” Donghyuck shrugged before turning around to face him. The door was just an edge away and only if he could slap Mark’s face and make an escape for it, while Mark whined, it would have been excellent. But he couldn’t avoid it, now that Mark had caught up to him.

“Listen, Donghyuck. If you are feeling guilty about it, you could just say sorry. It’s just a word. There is no harm of it grazing your narcissistic integrity, I assure you.” Mark took a deep breath before breathing out hoarsely. He was evidently frustrated about it, “I don’t know why I am even trying to make a conversation with you. It’s either you are sick of me or I’m sick of buttering up to you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What?” Mark couldn’t believe his ears because those were the words he didn’t expect. He even added “I am” which was even more appalling.

“I said I’m sorry.” He repeated it again. Mark was close to believe that Donghyuck woke up at the wrong side of the bed or the sun decided to put his ass up from the west, “I am sorry that you are sick of me and I am sick of you. I didn’t ask for your kindness on the neighbour thing because I’ve handled myself pretty well the months before you struck us with your mighty presence. Might I tell you that you were getting ahead of yourself showing up all superman on me. I don’t need your filthy kindness.”

Donghyuck turned on his heels and before he could swivel the knob to his door open, he stopped and looked back, “You-…Your infection is getting pretty distracting and disgusting so I left some ointments with Taeil and Jaehyun will patch it up for you. I meant to do it but since you despise my presence, I will leave you alone. Goodnight.”

“Listen-” Donghyuck already had slammed the door on his face and Mark groaned as piles of regrets crashed on him like an oncoming train. He revised that debate scene a million times in his head, and he saw a couple of outcomes for that anticipated banter. It ended up pretty badly on all his scenarios, with most of them snatching Mark’s share of dinner and let him suffer hungry for the rest of the day or clogging his toilet next day intentionally so that Mark couldn’t use the bathroom. It didn’t mean to end up in Donghyuck being rationally upset over his outburst ( or lack thereof). It felt a bit empty.

“Jaehyun.” Mark knocked on the closed doors. The scene on the other side remained an utter mystery and Jaehyun gaped the door a peek, and obstructed the view with his  _ chiselled _ and broad figure. Forget, that Mark said chiselled.

“Your thing-right…”Jaehyun already had the plastic bag on his other hand and Mark could see a smirk appearing on his thinly stretched lips, “…Donghyuck told me a bunch of directions but I will be going on my own accord.”

“Okay…Just don’t cut off my ear.”

“No promises.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -ughh, this chapter was a real downer because i wanted to have so fun with it. the thought came to spontaneously on including some members' cameo gradually throughout the story and doyoung was the one i wanted to go with. but since i didn't have the proper outline and i was writing it very impulsively, it turned not so much fun. plus, the lack of comedy is taking a toll on me. but glad it ended, but not so glad that i have another chapter stuck on my rear. yes, this is only part (1).


End file.
